Seanad neglected its duty and deserves to go - Mythen

Seanad Eireann has consistently neglected its duty to the citizens of Ireland and, by co-operating fully in the guillotining of democratic debate and the passing of questionable bills, deserves to go.  That's the view of the acting Chairperson of Enniscorthy Town Council, Sinn Féin Cllr Johnny Mythen, who says that his party will be campaigning for a yes vote in the upcoming referendum.

"Seanad Eireann consists of 60 Senators in total.  It costs €20 Million to run each year including staff.  Its members are elected by a troika of the Taoiseach ,various universities and County Councillors.  That is 11by an Taoiseach, 6 by the universities and 43 by local councillors."  

"Even in its formal years the Seanad was considered a threat to the main governing party.  The idea of an upper house with the capability of over ruling the Oireachtas on legal , judicial or executive terms was too democratic and too dangerous for most of the main parties to face.  This new power was swiftly and callously dealt with."  

"Over the years the Seanad's noble cause of being the citizens watchdog was soon crushed under the political cronyism and political influences of every governing party since the foundation of the state.  Fianna Fail even abolished it at one stage.  The Seanad in its current form is a mere extension of government cronyism and a grave yard for former politicians."

"Reality is what reality does.  The overwhelming indulgence of the present government's use of the whip system, the guillotining of democratic debate and the passing of questionable, disputable unconstitutional bills by the Oireachtas while being rubber stamped by the Seanad brings that very institution into disrepute if not ill repute."

"The Seanad does have a handful of intellectually gifted people and for those we are grateful.  However its compliance with the Government's rushed decisions without fully checking the consequences  has left it mortally wounded, especially when the rights of citizens are at stake.  This is an unforgivable neglect of duty, and brings to mind a quote from Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, 'Let me have men about me that are fat, sleek headed men and such as sleep a nights'.  This typifies the current Seanad ; middle aged men and women who are content and who would never bite the hand that feeds them or the hand that appointed them."