The Irish Senate and an Unsuccessful Attempt to Abolish It

Abstract

The article discusses the Senate of the Republic of Ireland and a referendum campaign held regarding a government proposal aimed at abolishing the second chamber of the Irish parliament. This chamber is said to be one of the most bizarre second chambers that exist within European bicameral assemblies. It is the unique method it employs to create its membership that causes it to be regarded as strange. This method has somewhat incapacitated the senate as an institution of power within the Irish political system that additionally reinforces the governmental majority. The article presents, synthetically, the most important information about the Irish Senate and its powers. It also describes the political and economic circumstances that led to a referendum on the abolition of this chamber of parliament. It shows the arguments of both sides of the dispute over the necessity of such a constitutional reform, the course of the referendum campaign as well as the results of the referendum.