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First sitting of the 24th Seanad in May 2011. Laura Hutton/Photocall Ireland

Poll shows over 50 per cent support for abolition of Seanad

Meanwhile, just under one third want it to be reformed.

A NEW MILLWARD BROWN poll for the Sunday Independent has revealed that 53 per cent of Irish people want to see the Seanad abolished.

Just seven per cent want to keep the upper house in its current format, while 30 per cent want it reformed in some way.

A referendum on the issue is expected in autumn next year.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny has insisted that the chamber is beyond saving; that getting rid of it is central to the Government’s political reform plan. Supporters of the Seanad say, though, that scrapping it won’t save much money and will mean less oversight of the lawmaking process.

The upper house of the Oireachtas, which marked its 90th anniversary earlier this month, has already survived abolition once: having been scrapped in 1936, in revenge for blocking many of Eamon de Valera’s reform plans, only to be recreated under the new Irish constitution of 1937.

VIDEO: Here are the highlights of the Dáil and Seanad in 2012

Mahon, Reilly, Savita: Game-changing political moments of 2012

Poll: Should the Seanad be saved, abolished or reformed?

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104 Comments
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    Mute Anthony Curran
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    Aug 2nd 2024, 11:31 AM

    Rockin up to the Oscars in an RUC landrover, gwan the lads!

    113
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    Mute Ollie McGlinchey
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    Aug 2nd 2024, 11:37 AM

    @Anthony Curran: Anything to take away from the actual content.

    56
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    Mute Anthony Curran
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    Aug 2nd 2024, 3:06 PM

    @Ollie McGlinchey: Ok boomer.

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    Mute Anthony Curran
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    Aug 3rd 2024, 1:24 AM

    @John P Doe: Ye ragin’? Lol

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    Mute sean weir
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    Aug 3rd 2024, 3:05 PM

    @John P Doe: dick

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    Mute Jimmy The Mink
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    Aug 2nd 2024, 12:12 PM

    They’re a bit backwards focused for my taste, but nice to see the Irish language. All the best.

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    Mute sean weir
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    Aug 2nd 2024, 12:59 PM

    @Jimmy The Mink: are we backward for wanting the Brits to go home???

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    Mute Jimmy The Mink
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    Aug 2nd 2024, 2:08 PM

    @sean weir:
    I think that you in particular are backwards, yes.

    These people you refer to as “the Brits” have lived there for hundreds of years and love it and consider it to be home as much as you do.

    And your want to “get them out” is backwards as there will never be a United Ireland if it is not inclusive and for all. Even Sinn Fein came to understand this (eventually) and it is chamiponed in the green and orange stripes of the Irish flag, if only those who wave it so frantically would take a moment to look at it.

    So yes, you a backward. A (dim) dinosaur.

    When there is a United Ireland it will be because of people like me, not you.

    You’re just a remnant, an obstacle.

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    Mute Jimmy The Mink
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    Aug 2nd 2024, 4:13 PM

    @Pad: you could use that logic to justify Israel kicking out the Palestinians Pad.

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    Mute Jimmy The Mink
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    Aug 2nd 2024, 4:25 PM

    @Pad: Ah Pad, it’s not if you go back far enough which is what you’re doing in N Ireland.

    Anyway, have a nice long weekend.

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    Mute Hector turtlehead
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    Aug 2nd 2024, 5:08 PM

    @sean weir: yes. Backwards as backwards can be.

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    Mute sean weir
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    Aug 3rd 2024, 3:10 PM

    @Jimmy The Mink: are you retarted?
    The 6 countries have been policed by the British army since 1968.
    Pray tell me who are these soldiers that have lived there for 100,s of years.
    If you are talking about unionists and you think that they are the Brits in”brits out” it shows you don’t have a clue about what is happening in you own country

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    Mute sean weir
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    Aug 3rd 2024, 3:18 PM

    @John P Doe: Brits out is not about unionists,it’s about the British government and army ,the fact that You don’t know that is astonishing to me.

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    Mute Pat Hazzard
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    Aug 2nd 2024, 12:17 PM

    Another embarrassment for Ireland. Its like sending a rapping Bin Laden group

    112
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    Mute sean weir
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    Aug 2nd 2024, 12:58 PM

    @Pat Hazzard: it’s amazing with you southern lads ,we are to Irish for the Brits but not Irish enough for the dubs,
    In only 100 years you have convinced yourselves that we don’t exist

    77
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    Mute Michale Kane
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    Aug 2nd 2024, 2:00 PM

    @Pat Hazzard: Stephen you were such an embarrassment to FF they kicked you out.

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    Mute SerotoninWars
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    Aug 2nd 2024, 6:09 PM

    @Pat Hazzard:

    ‘Osama bin Mohammed bin Awad bin Laden was a Saudi Arabian-born Islamist dissident and militant leader who was the founder and first general emir of al-Qaeda from 1988 until his death in 2011′

    Kneecap are a trio of p*ss taking rascals who have never harmed anyone. Who have friends in the PUL community who understand that there’s some humour to be found in all the tragedy and identity politics. They haven’t made a single threat made against any state. No holy wars declared either.

    I don’t think it’s like ‘sending a rapping Bin Laden group’ at all!

    15
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    Mute Robert Halvey
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    Aug 3rd 2024, 3:24 AM

    @Pat Hazzard: ah paddy lad take off your ffg blueshirt for a minute someone might give you a hug

    4
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    Mute sean weir
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    Aug 3rd 2024, 3:20 PM

    @John P Doe: “you lot”
    You really are some west Brit P.O.S

    2
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    Mute Ollie McGlinchey
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    Aug 2nd 2024, 11:36 AM

    Shame the music and rapping is awful.

    120
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    Mute Setanta O'Toole
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    Aug 2nd 2024, 12:18 PM

    @Ollie McGlinchey: it’s not though. Get your brits out is a banger. The song with Grian Chatten is very good too.

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    Mute Anthony Curran
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    Aug 2nd 2024, 3:07 PM

    @Ollie McGlinchey: Vanilla Ice and Will Smith more your thing Ollie?

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    Mute Hector turtlehead
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    Aug 2nd 2024, 5:09 PM

    @Setanta O’Toole: more like a clanger

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    Mute Sean Morris
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    Aug 2nd 2024, 2:05 PM

    On vacation in New York. Seen a poster of them in Manhattan. Had to take a second look just to be sure. Put a smile on face.

    50
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    Mute Darragh Mcnamara
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    Aug 2nd 2024, 1:22 PM

    Pat Hazzard is a C L O W N

    50
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    Mute Michale Kane
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    Aug 2nd 2024, 2:01 PM

    @Darragh Mcnamara: it’s one of Stephen Kearons multiple personalities

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    Mute anthonyjames. byrne.
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    Aug 2nd 2024, 5:35 PM

    @Michale Kane: the same Stephen Kearon who is a great admirer of Thatcher..no surprise there.

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    Mute Michale Kane
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    Aug 2nd 2024, 5:57 PM

    @anthonyjames. byrne.: and the black an tans. Imagine how bad you have to be to get kicked out of FF.

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    Mute Jack Hayes
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    Aug 2nd 2024, 1:38 PM

    Not everything is for everyone.

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    Mute Michale Kane
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    Aug 2nd 2024, 2:01 PM

    @Jack Hayes: Like colonialism

    29
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    Mute tony mc g
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    Aug 2nd 2024, 5:38 PM

    One can imagine the hysterical condemnation if there was a punkish rapping band going around with union jack Balaclavas and purporting to represent the Shankill and the unionist community.

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    Mute Michale Kane
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    Aug 2nd 2024, 5:59 PM

    @tony mc g: They have their marching and burning Tony, even have a special month dedicated to it !

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    Mute Jimmy The Mink
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    Aug 2nd 2024, 8:23 PM

    @Michale Kane: and what does the world think of that Michaela?

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    Mute Hector turtlehead
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    Aug 2nd 2024, 5:07 PM

    Oscars have gone downhill then

    15
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    Mute Michale Kane
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    Aug 2nd 2024, 6:00 PM

    @Hector turtlehead: lol. …. that’s what done it for ya eh!

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    Mute Patrick J. Ryan
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    Aug 2nd 2024, 5:12 PM

    Ní ceapaim

    12
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    Mute stella Ormes
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    Aug 4th 2024, 12:31 PM

    Why not just send the Wolfe Tones to sing Up The Ra and save us any futher embarrassment?

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