Richard Bruton named as FG Director of Elections for the Referendum on the Abolition of the Seanad

An Taoiseach, Enda Kenny TD, this morning (Thursday) named Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Richard Bruton TD as Director of the Fine Gael campaign for a Yes vote in the Referendum on the Abolition of the Seanad.

Speaking at the announcement of 200 jobs at EMC in Cork today (Thursday), the Taoiseach said: This Government has received a strong mandate from the Irish people to take all necessary steps to achieve economic recovery and get Ireland working again. As part of our programme of radically reforming our public service, we are looking to deliver the biggest reform of politics in the history of this State.

If this Referendum approved by the people, I am convinced that we can and will create a better, more accountable and more effective political system. A single-chamber Oireachtas will offer us better oversight, better scrutiny of legislation, and enhanced democracy with fewer politicians. We will mount a strong campaign in support of this key reform, and I’m pleased to announce Minister Richard Bruton to head up Fine Gael’s campaign.

This referendum is a key part of the Government’s reform agenda, and throughout his career, Richard Bruton has been passionate about public sector and political reform. Within his own department, he has instituted the most ambitious series of reforms in the area of job creation, and has shown himself to be an innovative Minister, with great command of detail and an ability to explain his ideas clearly. He will be an excellent Director of Elections, giving the Irish people the full facts as to why Seanad Éireann is no longer an effective or appropriate part of Irish political life.

Speaking at the launch, Minister Bruton said: The questions that the Irish people are going to have to answer in this referendum are simple- do they want fewer national politicians? Do they want a national parliament that costs €20million less per year to run?

“I am honoured to have been nominated as Director of Elections for Fine Gael in this referendum campaign. I strongly believe that we in the political system need to be more efficient and prudent, at a time when families and workers across the country are being asked to do the same. This proposal is a central part of a broader programme of political reform that this Government pledged at the time of the last election to put in place. I will be working hard between now and the autumn to help convince people that we should vote yes for fewer politicians and yes for a less costly but more effective political system”.