The Green Party today called for a directly elected Seanad, votes for emigrants, and reduction of the voting age to 16, as they launched their Political Reform Policy.
The Party’s Seanad reform proposal would see Senators elected through an open list system on the same day as Dáil elections. Seanad constituencies would be Dublin, Leinster, Munster, and Connacht/Ulster, with 56 seats distributed proportionally to population. 4 Seanad seats would be reserved for overseas Irish citizens.
Speaking at the launch, Green Party Leader Eamon Ryan said that the time for talking about reform is over – parties must put concrete proposals to the electorate and follow through on them.
“The need for political reform in Ireland is now overwhelming. The Government had a huge mandate to reform the Seanad when the Irish people voted to retain it, but they have shown no interest in doing so. They have failed to deliver the ‘democratic revolution’ that they promised in 2011.
“Tomorrow we will witness an election where only members of the Oireachtas will vote, and the result is a foregone conclusion. The next Seanad will be elected with the same undemocratic, old, broken system. This can’t continue.”
Oliver Moran, political reform campaigner and Green Party candidate in Cork North Central, called for cross party support for the proposals.
“We’ve had report after report on what to do with the Seanad, and everybody aspires to the vague notion of political reform, but it’s time for action. We’ve presented a plan that’s fair, that will give all Irish citizens, at home and abroad, the chance to elect Senators for the first time. We need a parliament that’s fit for the 21st century. I’m calling on all political parties to back our plan, and put this proposal to the people during the term of the next Government. Let’s make the next Seanad the last one that has no democratic mandate.”
Other measures outlined in the policy include citizen initiated referendums, allowing citizens to nominate presidential candidates, ending the Economic Management Council, and opening up the process of appointments to State Boards.