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THE LABOUR PARTY has put forward its closing argument for abolishing the Seanad, saying that the case for retaining the upper house has failed.
At a press conference in Dublin this morning the party’s director of elections Alex White said that the arguments for the No side have concentrated on the “purported potential of the Seanad rather than anything it has in fact achieved”.
He said none of the proposals for reform address “the elitism that is inherent in drawing exclusively from interest groups” and added: “The case for retention of the Seanad has failed.”
At the same event, the Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore said that Labour was asking people to vote Yes to two “very straightforward” propositions, referring to both the Seanad vote and the referendum to establish a Court of Appeal which also being held on Friday.
“We do not need two parliamentary chambers,” Gilmore said, adding: “I have heard no convincing argument for two parliamentary chambers in a country of this size.”
White, Gilmore and Labour’s deputy leader and Social Protection Minister Joan Burton all urged people to come out and vote on Friday.
Burton claimed that the fall in the Live Register numbers today was a “product of the reforms” implemented by the government and said the Seanad vote was another of these.
She said a Yes vote “is going to give us a further step towards a more streamlined and cost effective political system” and said that single chambers served Denmark, Norway, and Sweden – which itself experienced a banking crisis in the 90s – “perfectly well”.
Gilmore said that what the government is implenting is the “biggest reform of local government since the 19th century” referring to abolition of town councils and reduction in the number of councillors for next year’s local elections.
The Tánaiste and the Taoiseach are expected to discuss their political reform proposals and specifically their Dáil reform plans with the leaders of the opposition parties later today.
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They are doing great work but we should do everything to keep our own healthcare workers here.
@Munster1: having immigrants working here means that at least some of the pressure is taken off overworked staff meaning that staff don’t leave the job or country in search of better working conditions as much
@Munster1: I remember going to Kerry for holidays as a kid and asking my mum what language they were speaking… it’s also sometimes hard to understand some accents. Instead of forcing it why not provide classes as anyone who comes here is eager to learn English…
Make fluent English one of the criteria. Some of them are impossible to understand. Also, make citizenship conditional upon HSE employment.
@Benny McHale: Having worked in Healthcare for more than 20 years, I have encountered many non-EU employees. All of the non-EU doctors and nurses I have met speak fluent English. Some of my Irish colleagues are not quite so easy to understand.
@Benny McHale: the majority of foreign medical staff in ireland are fluent English speakers but much like Kerry people their accent makes it difficult to understand….
@Benny McHale: The article was perfectly clear and articulate. If I had to be hospitalised I’d certainly appreciate being treated by a doctor capable of speaking out when necessary. Certainly not one that settled for struggling in silence for fear of what people might imagine. Everyone needs some hope that they can progress in life.
We are producing enough of our own at significant cost to not to have to do this.
@Bill ORourke: not everyone who graduates wants to stay in Ireland and they shouldn’t feel like they have to, and some will go abroad for a few years experience
@Bill ORourke: no we’re not.
@Sam Harms: isn’t that more of a case to better the working conditions in Ireland. For the Irish people. Rather than setting the bar lower and lower and staffing the country with foreigners in the first place? It’s only putting a bandage over the wound the country is continuing to cut into itself.
This is a consequence of brain drain of the last decade as a result of failed policy to retain talent.. Recent survey from nurses graduates showed over 70% are planning to emigrate.
How about paying student nurses Donnelly…. their the backbone of the health sector. Which you are missing…..
We produce more than enough doctors and nurses- highest per capita in Europe- that is Irish doctors alone excluding the foreign students who also graduate here.
The issue here is that doctors and nurses are leaving for better conditions overseas and in the private sector. 20% of consultant postions in the public sector are unfilled.
Asking him to do something.. Like that’s gonna work.
Thumbs up
Good for Ireland, not so good for the countries these badly needed professionals are leaving behind.
Wow how fast can these guys respond to a trending story however merited but take years to deal with true problems like paid sick leavefor workers, nurses retention, poor public transport systems etc
These articles about immigrants in Ireland are always guaranteed to bring out the whataboutery, closet xenophobia and racism…
This is bound to just create some form of “look after own” thread .
@Paul Hayes: are you suggesting that looking after our own is a bad thing?
@Cormac McCarthy: Cormac, our own are not here today to care for our own. .. it’s a pandemic and our own choose to look after themselves.
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