Marcella Corcoran Kennedy is urging people to attend a public meeting on the abolition of the Seanad in Tullamore tonight.

Economist and Minister to address Tullamore meeting tonight

Economist Colm McCarthy will join Minister Phil Hogan in Tullamore this evening to try convince locals to vote for abolishing the Seanad on October 4. The meeting will take place in the Bridge House Hotel from 8.30pm.

Speaking yesterday Fine Gael’s deputy director of elections for the Leinster region Marcella Corcoran Kennedy said the meeting will discuss key issues including that just one per cent of the population elects the current Seanad, that the Seanad can only delay but not overturn legislation, that 90 per cent of senators are elected by other politicians and that abolishing the Seanad will save €20m per year.

Those savings have been questioned by Fianna Fail’s Barry Cowen.

“I have no doubt that economist and author of An Bord Snip Nua, Colm McCarthy, will provide an interesting viewpoint on why he believes the time has come to abolish the Seanad,” Deputy Corcoran Kennedy said.

“He has joined fellow economist Jim Power and other independent voices, in calling for the Seanad to be abolished, because one house of parliament is enough for a country of our size.

“I look forward to tomorrow’s meeting and I would encourage as many people as possible to come along to the Bridge House Hotel to discuss all of the issues relating to the Seanad, and why the time has come to abolish it.”