FORMER TÁNAISTE and Minster for Justice Michael McDowell SC has come out against the abolition of the Seanad.
At a debate held by the Bar Council in Dublin last night, he said it would not be “wise or beneficial” to abolish Seanad Éireann.
“It seems to me that there may be a very significant danger, in Ireland’s present circumstances, that public debate on the nature and effectiveness of our democracy will proceed on the basis of glib populism and tabloid superficiality rather than on a carefully considered, cold, rational and measured basis,” he said.
He agreed the Oireachtas “badly needs radical reform”, adding that it now operated on a “tick-over” basis, doing the minimum required to be publicly perceived as carrying out its functions.
In the late 1980s, he had been part of a small group who drafted legislation to abolish the Seanad, a proposal which he supported and had at the time referred to it as “a cross between a political convalescent home and crèche”.
However, he no longer believed it would be wise to amend the Constitution to dispense with the Seanad, noting that about 75 amendments would be required.
The Seanad also had importance in the provision of checks and balances against the abuse of “crude power” by a temporary majority in the Dáil. As a Minister, his experience was that the Seanad considered legislation in a much more bipartisan spirit than the Dáil.
Mr McDowell was chairman of last night’s Bar Council debate, for which the motion was: “That our parliament is not fit for purpose”. Speakers included senators David Norris, Ivana Bacik, Alex White, Fine Gael TD Lucinda Creighton, Pat Leahy of the Sunday Business Post and barrister Noel Whelan.
Mr Norris said Enda Kenny had done a favour in proposing that it should be abolished as he had “put a bomb” under the issue of Seanad reform, which was badly needed.
Mr Norris also said he would work hard to try and get a nomination for the presidential election and would “give it everything” if he secured it.