Search Results for 'Seanad Éireann'

Voting No on October 4 to abolishing Seanad Éireann is a way to protect scrutiny of Dáil legislation and to ensure the upper house is reformed.

The Méara of Ballina Town Council has called for a referendum to be held on the same day as the proposed referendum on the abolition of the Seanad, to see do people want to retain town councils rather than abolish them as is proposed at the moment.

Fianna Fáil has welcomed the Government’s decision to accept the Parental Leave Bill 2013, presented in the Seanad by Senator Mary White.

Councillor Keith Martin of the Labour Party says he will canvass for the abolition of the Seanad when the promised referendum is called. Cllr Martin says that the upper house of the Oireachtas is beyond reform and a drain on the nation's resources.

It was a week of changes at the top tables of local politics in Mayo with the election of new Cathaoirleach and mayors in the four local authorities in the county. On Monday afternoon, Fine Gael councillor Cyril Burke was elected as Cathaoirleach of Mayo County Council for the coming year at the AGM of the council. The meeting itself had to be adjourned for a short time following an interruption by a group of mostly Shell to Sea protesters, who were protesting over a high pitched noise they had to endure over the June Bank Holiday weekend while Shell was carrying out hydro-testing in the area. After the meeting resumed, Cllr Burke was elected as Cathaoirleach and Cllr Patsy O’Brien as leas-Cathoirleach. Cllr Burke is also the Cathaoirleach of the BMW regional assembly.

A war of words broke out at Westport Town Council’s AGM this week over the nomination of the Leas Cathaoirleach, with Fine Gael refusing to share the chair with the council’s other political parties, after being asked whether this could be done by Fianna Fáil councillor Margaret Adams.

“I’ve always believed and told people that if they have an issue with the way things are being run, they should write a letter to their local TDs, senators, the relevant Minster, and the Taoiseach of the day and let them know.”

Dear Editor,

A Galway city councillor has slammed the GoverNment for its “utterly contemptuous” move to hold referendums and expect people to vote today when there has been “next to no debate” on the very serious issues involved.

On Thursday October 27, the same day we will choose our next president, we will also be asked to vote on two referenda which will change the wording of the Constitution.