Fine Gael’s argument that abolishing the Seanad will save €20 million was again under scrutiny today with the Minister giving a commitment to the Irish public.
The €20 million saving has been a central plank of Fine Gael’s pro-abolition campaign – but now the Oireachtas says there’s no way to know how much will be saved if the Seanad goes.
The Houses of the Oireachtas has said it is not possible to estimate the amount of net actual savings that would arise from Seanad abolition despite Fine Gael’s repeated claim that it would be €20 million per year.
Richard Bruton took a stroll in the Dublin sun earlier to meet potential voters in the Seanad referendum. He even bumped into a fellow Cabinet colleague…
The party has said the proposal to abolish the Seanad came from a New Politics document published in March 2010, six months after Enda Kenny first called for the chamber to be scrapped.
The party has confirmed its intention to support government policy and a Yes vote on 4 October but its chief whip says that there is a 50-50 split in the parliamentary party over the future of the Seanad.
THERE ARE A lot of positive noises coming from Government for the potential of a normal summer.
Tánaiste Leo Varadkar has said indoor and outdoor dining could return and there is advance planning for a reopening in May, June and July.
He said: “It is increasingly evident that outdoor dining is much safer than indoor.
“But we would hope to get to the point where both will be possible.”
Travel outside of the country will likely still be a difficulty but it could see a boom for the Irish hospitality trade as stay at home adventures become a viable option.
Tourism Minister Catherine Martin has said she is working on plans that could allow the tourism industry to re-open this summer for Irish holidaymakers.
Minister Martin said she is cautiously optimistic for the summer.
“I think if we look at where we are right now, for the first time this year there are less than 200 people in hospital, there are less than 50 in ICU. Cases are falling and the R rate is below one,” she said.
Today we’re asking: Are you planning a domestic summer holiday?
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