Labour leader Eamon Gilmore has insisted there is no longer any case for having what he described as two parliaments.
Launching his party's campaigns to abolish the Seanad and establish a Court of Appeal, Mr Gilmore said a reformed Dáil could serve the public interest and effectively uphold democracy.
He maintained that the Dáil had already seen substantial reform with extended sitting hours and new procedures.
The Labour leader denied the Seanad proposal represented a power grab but was rather part of a programme of political reforms.
Meanwhile, Labour Senator John Whelan has claimed the vast majority of senators and councillors in Labour and Fine Gael are totally opposed to any plan to abolish the Seanad.
Mr Whelan said the last thing people wanted was a small group of Government ministers' special advisors and spin doctors putting out totally inaccurate stories about the cost of the Seanad in a bid to win the referendum.
He said the present Seanad will remain after the referendum and will run its full term and the public should be told that.
Mr Whelan was speaking while canvassing in Athlone with Senator John Kelly and former senators Mary O'Rourke and Joe O'Toole.
On the Court of Appeal, Mr Gilmore said that the proposition on the Judicial Referendum was a simple one.
He said it was about having a modern court system and tackling the frustration that was sometimes caused by delays.
The Court of Appeal would tackle delays in the judicial system, which are currently substantial, he added.
The referendums on both issues take place on 4 October.
Mary O'Rourke asked to leave shopping centre
A canvass of voters in the referendum campaign on the future of the Seanad by former Fianna Fáil minister Mary O'Rourke had to be cut short in Athlone after Mrs O'Rourke and representatives of the Democracy Matters campaign were asked to leave a shopping centre because of safety concerns.
Mrs O'Rourke and volunteers from Democracy Matters were canvassing in the Golden Island Shopping centre for a ‘No’ vote when they were told by the management at the centre that gardaí had informed them a protest was likely to be held alongside the canvassers.
The centre manager said permission had not been sought by anyone to canvass in the centre and he then asked the group to leave.
Security staff from the shopping centre then accompanied Mrs O'Rourke and the others to the doors and asked them again to leave as some canvassing was continuing inside the building.
The group canvassing also included Labour senators John Kelly and John Whelan and former senators Joe O'Toole and Mary O'Rourke.
A spokesperson for Athlone gardaí confirmed they had contacted the centre manager earlier in the day after a caller had told them a protest might be held but they had not no other information.
Mrs O'Rourke and the other volunteers continued their canvass in the rain in the carpark of the centre.
Dáil reform discussed at Cabinet
Details of a new Dáil reform package were discussed by Government ministers at this morning's Cabinet meeting.
The proposals for reform set out "to enhance the legislative process", according to a Government spokesman.
He said the proposals will include plans for improving accountability in areas such as the system of asking Parliamentary Questions and Topical Issues debates in the Dáil.
It is anticipated that changes to the working week in the Dáil will be proposed and the Oireachtas committee system will be strengthened.
There will also be public involvement in the law-making process, whereby members of the public will be involved in the preparation of bills to place before the Oireachtas.
This is expected to be similar to the involvement of the public and experts in the recent Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill hearings.
It also proposes a reduction in the number of stages a bill has to pass through before it becomes law.
Full details of the proposals are expected to be announced by Taoiseach Enda Kenny and Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore at a press conference tomorrow.
