Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
On Friday October the 4th you will be asked to vote in two referendums.
One is about whether or not we should abolish Seanad Eireann.
The other is about whether or not we should set up a new Court of Appeal
and make some other changes to the Courts system.
The abolition of the Seanad would mean there will be changes in how laws
are made in this country.
But it would have other effects too.
For example at the moment, a majority of our senators and a third of our TD's can ask the President
not to sign a bill
even though it has been passed through the Houses of the Oireachtas.
They can do so if they think the bill is so important
that it should be voted upon by the people in a referendum.
If we abolish the Seanad, than this can't happen.
Currently the Dáil and Seanad must each approve some decisions,
such as the adoption of certain EU laws and decisions,
or that a national emergency exists.
If the referendum is passed, the Dáil alone will approve these decisions.
At the moment, someone who wants to run for President can be nominated by 20 members
of the Dáil and the Seanad.
If this referendum is passed
14 members of the Dáil can nominate a candidate.
Also, the chairman of the Seanad
currently sits on the council of State, which gives advice to the President,
and on the Presidential Commission, which takes on the duties of the President
if he or she is unable to act for some reason. If this referendum is passed,
the Council and Commission membership will include
the Leas Ceann Comhairle instead.
There would be other changes too.
The Dáil and the Seanad both have a role to play in the impeachment of the President,
the removal of a judge from office
or the removal from office of the Comptroller and Auditor General.
If the referendum is passed these will be dealt with by the Dáil only.
The referendum takes place on October 4th.
There's more information available at referendum2013.ie,
so why not take a few minutes to find out more.
And make sure you use your vote on October 4th.