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Taoiseach Enda Kenny said the vote would not be 'replayed'

Taoiseach confirms no re-run of Seanad referendum

Taoiseach Enda Kenny has said there will be no re-run of the referendum on the abolition of the Seanad.

Minister Rabbitte said that there is no room for replicating the Dáil and he said he was not sure how the Seanad could be made relevant

Taoiseach should have debated - Rabbitte

Minister for Communications Pat Rabbitte has said that in his view Enda Kenny should have debated about the Seanad referendum.

News • 06 Oct 13

Enda Kenny said he was disappointed but accepted the referendum outcome

Referendum to abolish Seanad is defeated

The referendum to abolish the Seanad has been defeated. 51.7% of votes nationally were against the abolition of the Seanad, with 48.3% in favour - a margin of 3.4%.

News • 05 Oct 13

Voters are advised to bring some sort of official ID

Low turnout reported as referendum voting closes

Polling stations in the referendums on whether to abolish the Seanad and whether to set up a Court of Appeal have closed.

News • 05 Oct 13

John Whelan was one of the four Senators who missed the vote

Labour whip to speak to Senators who missed vote

Senator Aideen Hayden, the Labour Party whip in the Seanad, has said she will be speaking to Labour members who were absent last night when the Government lost a vote.

News • 03 Oct 13

Voting for the majority of the population will be tomorrow

Mayo islanders cast votes in referendums

Islanders living off the Mayo coast have cast their votes in the Seanad and Court of Appeal referendums.

News • 03 Oct 13

Senator Feargal Quinn proposed the bill on upward-only rent reviews

Labour senators absent as Govt loses Seanad vote

The Government lost a vote 27-23 in the Seanad tonight on private members' bill proposed by Senator Feargal Quinn dealing with upward-only rent reviews.

News • 02 Oct 13

Fine Gael has insisted abolishing the Seanad would save €20m

Coveney maintains Seanad abolition would save €20m

Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney has defended the €20m savings figure being put forward by the Government in its campaign on the referendum to abolish the Seanad.

News • 02 Oct 13

Richard Bruton and Micheál Martin debated the abolition of the upper house

Bruton and Martin debate Seanad abolition

Fine Gael's Richard Bruton and Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin have taken part in the RTÉ Prime Time debate on the abolition of the Seanad.

News • 01 Oct 13

A poll found that 62% of decided voters favour abolishing the Seanad

Fine Gael criticises RTÉ over debate format

Fine Gael has accused RTÉ of trying to exclude what the party calls "non-political voices" from tomorrow's Prime Time Seanad referendum debate.

News • 30 Sep 13

One in ten people surveyed say they will not vote in the upcoming referendums

Majority favour Seanad abolition - poll

A new opinion poll shows a large majority of voters in favour of the abolition of the Seanad.

News • 28 Sep 13

Lucinda Creighton said she could not support the abolition of one half of parliament

Creighton calls for retention and reform of Seanad

Former Fine Gael minister of state Lucinda Creighton has said she is supporting the retention of the Seanad with a view to reform of the upper house.

News • 25 Sep 13

Fianna Fáil disputes Fine Gael's claims that the abolition of the Seanad will save €20m

Taoiseach accused of 'con job' over Seanad savings

Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin has accused Taoiseach Enda Kenny of "a con job" for stating the abolition of the Seanad will save €20 million.

News • 24 Sep 13

Richard Bruton said it was up to the Government to ensure delivery of the savings

Bruton insists abolishing Seanad would save €20m

Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Richard Bruton has defended his stance that the abolition of the Seanad would yield annual savings of €20m.

News • 23 Sep 13

The Government has claimed the savings would amount to €20m

Estimating Seanad abolition savings 'not possible'

Questions have been raised over the exact cost saving that would result from the abolition of the Seanad.

News • 22 Sep 13

Gardaí restrain a protester outside Leinster House

Three arrested following Dáil protests

Three people have been arrested for public order offences following protests in Dublin city centre.

News • 18 Sep 13

Two referendums are taking place on 4 October

Deadline for registering to vote in referendums

Today is the deadline for applications for inclusion on the register of electors for the two referendums taking place on 4 October.

News • 17 Sep 13

The referendums will take place on Friday 4 October

Commission turns to social media for campaign

The Chairperson of the Referendum Commission has said it is using social media to reach as many people as possible in the run-up to next month's referendums.

News • 16 Sep 13

Enda Kenny insisted the Seanad had no role in holding the executive to account

Fine Gael & Fianna Fáil launch Seanad campaigns

Taoiseach Enda Kenny has claimed the political system has failed to deal with the Seanad for 50 years, while Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin said its abolition would deliver no substantial reform.

News • 10 Sep 13

First Cabinet meeting of the new term takes place

Cabinet discusses Dáil reform, DNA database

The Government is to publish its proposals on Dáil reform shortly.

News • 05 Sep 13

Sinn Féin will be distributing 500,000 leaflets as part of its campaign

Doherty denies Sinn Féin changed Seanad stance

Sinn Féin has launched its campaign for the abolition of the Seanad.

News • 03 Sep 13

Kieran Mulvey said the Seanad is a totally undemocratic institution

Group begins campaign to have Seanad abolished

A new group today launched its campaign for the abolition of the Seanad, which it claimed was "elitist" and "a rotten borough".

News • 02 Sep 13

Senator Paul Bradford and former minister of state Lucinda Creighton lost the party whip over their stance on abortion

Rebel FG TDs and Senators want new speaking group

Senator Paul Bradford has said that TDs and senators who were recently expelled from the Fine Gael parliamentary party are seeking to form a new political grouping with speaking rights in the two houses of the Oireachtas.

News • 27 Aug 13

Former junior minister Lucinda Creighton and her husband Senator Paul Bradford lost the Fine Gael party whip

Fine Gael rebels hope to get speaking rights

The group of eight Fine Gael TDs and Senators who have lost the party whip are to decide their political strategy before the return of the Dáil and Seanad.

News • 26 Aug 13

The Seanad was recalled from the summer break to discuss the motion

Seanad motion on organ donation defeated

The Government required the casting vote of the Seanad Cathaoirleach to defeat a motion seeking to annul an EU Directive on organ donation.

News • 20 Aug 13