Rabbitte: We will still have Seanad referendum
The Communications Minister Pat Rabbitte says it is still the coalition's intention to hold a referendum on abolishing the Seanad.
His comments come after a group of former Senators signed a letter calling for major reform instead.
While Enda Kenny promised to scrap the upper house of Parliament back in 2009, a referendum is not expected before next year at the earliest.
Minister Rabbitte says a debate on the abolition is good and he welcomes the views of the former Senators.
"They seem to accept that there is no need to have a second house that merely replicates the Dáil.
"And they presumably believe that the Seanad can be reformed. We'll have that debate during the referendum. The Government committed to having a referendum and we will have a referendum.
