Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am happy to have an opportunity to speak on this Bill, which will allow for a referendum offering people the opportunity to have their say on the future of the Seanad.

In the run-up to the last general election, Fine Gael had a much-heralded five-point plan, one of the key components of which was new politics and political reform. Even though we have not reached the halfway point of the Government yet, this has been the most reforming Government in the history of the State. We have cut politicians' pay and expenses, we have increased Dáil sitting days by 30% and we have established the Constitutional Convention, which has given citizens a direct voice. We have addressed the gender imbalance in Parliament with the introduction of quotas and next year the abolition of town councils will see a reduction of more than 600 councillors. At the next European elections we will have one MEP less and after the next general election the Dáil will be reduced to 158 seats from 166.

This Bill is about the next part of that process, giving the people a choice on the future of the Seanad and whether it is to be retained or abolished. Whether we agree or disagree with the changes that have been implemented, from gender quotas to the abolition of town councils, a huge amount of work has been done in a short period. The town councils gave rise to a huge amount of duplication, particularly at administrative level, where town councils existed for historic reasons. Athy, with a population of 10,000 people, had a rate-collecting urban district council, while the town of Newbridge, with a population of 25,000, had a town commission with little or no power and very little funding. In north Kildare, Leixlip had a full town council while Celbridge, a town of equal size, had no representation at all at town council level. The town councils have a huge tradition, which I respect, and that is why there has been a lot of upset about their abolition, but tradition and history are not reasons to retain them.

We must now embark on a debate on the future of the Seanad. Some will say that its role, like that of town councils, is more suited to history than to the present day and that it is no longer fit for purpose. Others will point to the important role of oversight they believe the Seanad might provide, but what oversight does it provide now? All contributors to the debate I have heard have admitted that the Seanad, at the very least, needs to be reformed. I have not heard anyone make the argument that the Seanad must kept as it is at present, which points to a flawed establishment.

Financial savings are a consideration. The Government has had to trim down the spending of Departments, so when we get out of this recession we will have a leaner, more efficient economy that is cheaper to run. We have seen reductions in spending in all Departments and reductions in Civil Service numbers through the moratorium on recruitment. Politics cannot be immune from that, and €20 million per year, or €100 million over a five-year term, is not insignificant. That is an important point, because if there was full agreement that the Seanad is a vital part of our democracy, the financial argument would not be a reason for its abolition.

If the Seanad is abolished, it will change how the Dáil operates. At present we have a Cabinet that is particularly strong compared to other countries, but the Seanad in its present form does not have much influence on that power. We must move towards a debate on the role of TDs in tandem with this. If the Seanad is abolished, there will be more sitting days and more Stages for legislation going through this House, with more power devolved to the committees and a greater role for TDs in the scrutiny of legislation. At present a TD's role is divided between local constituency work and the work of a legislator. While I take my role as a legislator extremely seriously and scrutinise all Bills laid before me very seriously, come the next general election, the people of Kildare South will judge me more on what I have done in the constituency than on any contributions I have made in this House. That might not be right, but it is the reality. If we are considering changing the role of TDs with the abolition of the Seanad, people must change their expectations of the role of TDs. I look forward to the debate on the referendum and the campaign ahead of us.

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