We need more democracy, not less

I WANT to congratulate your newspaper for your recent vox pop on the future of the Seanad.

It was heartening to see your paper engage with this issue which is crucial to both our democratic life and our economic recovery.

I am concerned that there has not been sufficient debate on an issue that is of such magnitude that it will involve as many as 40 separate amendments to our Constitution. The Government recently used its large majority to curtail debate in the Dáil on the Bill which will give effect to the referendum on Seanad abolition.

This lack of proper discussion means there is a real danger that people will not be sufficiently informed on the key issues that are at stake.

I am convinced that closing the Seanad will impinge on the key national tasks of tackling unemployment and moving our country beyond this recession. Ireland lost its economic sovereignty precisely because our political system lacked accountability and had insufficient policy expertise at its disposal.

If we abolish the Seanad, this will not improve matters. In fact, on the contrary, we will be compounding the errors of the recent past.

A single chamber parliament will make the Government less accountable and there will be less scrutiny of legislation. This country needs a reformed Seanad Ã?ireann that will create a space for people with expertise in social and economic policy to make a contribution to our national decision-making processes.

We need a strong two-chamber parliament with committed national legislators.

In short, we need more democracy, not less democracy. That is why I will be appealing to all Dubliners to vote against the Government’s shortsighted and ill-conceived plans to abolish the Seanad.