"Progress towards Seanad reform is overdue but welcome"

Seantor Higgins with her fellow Senators at the launch of the Seanad Reform Bill on the first sitting day of the Seanad
Seantor Higgins with her fellow Senators at the launch of the Seanad Reform Bill on the first sitting day of the Seanad

Senator Higgins welcomes the commitment from the Taoiseach this week to convene a Seanad reform committee. This move is long overdue but a welcome and much needed step towards a fairer and more inclusive democracy in Ireland. 

Senator Higgins has been a consistent advocate for Seanad reform and for the enactment of the Manning report; introducing the Seanad Reform bill on her first sitting day in the Seanad, alongside her fellow Senators. 

Then Taoiseach, Enda Kenny proposed to form a Seanad reform committee in Autumn 2016 and Senator Higgins was nominated by her colleagues in the Civil Engagement Group to join the committee and push forwards on this important issue. Although the committee was never convened, Senator Higgins has consistently raised the issue in the chamber and in her representations to the Government.

Recently, Senator Higgins made the connection between the celebrations of the centenary of women suffrage in 1918 with the need to continue pressing for increased and more accountable democracy through Seanad reform. 

Raising Seanad reform with the Minister of State for public procurement, open government and e-government, John Paul Phelan in December 2017 Senator Higgins said;

"Unlike other areas of reform, we do not need to start from scratch as we have a report that was agreed across the Oireachtas that sets forward very clear proposals. The debate is now simply around its implementation... I emphasise to the Minister of State that this is something which I believe many of those who voted to retain the Seanad want."

"I am always conscious that all Senators are here as a privilege because people across the country who do not have the right at present to vote for the Seanad, nonetheless voted to retain the Seanad as a signal that they wished it to exist to serve a function"... "To keep faith with that wider constituency we need to step up and say we are here on sufferance and a promise of reform and we need to deliver that."

"It is most regrettable that there is no supplementary register for the Seanad. It is unusual in that regard and very different from either referenda or the Dáil election. If, for example, an election had been called before Christmas, those who would vote in any of the university or other panels would have had to register 18 months ago. That is not right. We need to have a system in place. Practical measures are required. "

Senator Higgins looks forward to meaningful engagement with Taoiseach Varadkar and the Seanad Reform committee over the coming months to ensure that fair and inclusive reform is delivered. 

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Senators Alice-Mary Higgins and Frances Black co-sign letter from 1,000 parliamentarians calling on European leaders to take a stand against annexation and protect the Israeli-Palestinian Peace Process

Senator Alice-Mary Higgins, Senator Frances Black, Senator Lynn Ruane and Senator David Norris and more than 100 other Irish Oireachtas members have joined over 1,000 other parliamentarians from across Europe, in co-signing a letter calling on European leaders to act decisively against plans for illegal annexation of Palestinian territories by Israel which have the potential to undermine peace negotiations and further destabilize the region.



The joint letter, initiated by Avraham Burg a former speaker of Israel's parliamentary assembly, the Knesset, underlines the importance of a "rules based global order" and calls for a lasting solution to the conflict that meets “legitimate aspirations and security needs and guarantees equal rights of both Israelis and Palestinians.” It emphasizes that “Europe has the diplomatic tools to promote this just goal, and we stand ready to support such efforts.”



Senator Higgins said: “Europe has a responsibility to follow through on its long-stated commitment to a peaceful resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and to take a firm stand against attempts to undermine core principles of justice, human rights and peace. Europe must make strong use of its diplomacy to oppose any proposed new settlement or annexation and Ireland, in particular, needs to show leadership”



Senator Black said: “With the threat of annexation, the international community must recognise one thing above all else: Condemnation is not enough! It has not stopped decades of settlement expansion. We need real accountability and action before it’s too late. “



“I introduced The Occupied Territories Bill into Seanad Éireann in 2018, it prohibits the importation of goods from illegally occupied lands, including the illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank. The international community has an obligation to oppose annexation & the expansion of illegal settlements: we can start by refusing to support them economically.”



The letter, signed by 1080 parliamentarians, is addressed to EU Foreign Ministers and EU High Representative/Vice-President Josep Borrell. It calls on Europe to “take the lead in bringing international actors together to prevent annexation and to safeguard the prospects of the two-state solution and a just resolution to the conflict.”



Senator Higgins welcomes Supreme Court ruling on seventh amendment and urges Government to enact Seanad Bill 2020

NUI Senator Alice-Mary Higgins has today welcomed the Supreme Court ruling on the need to legislate for the seventh amendment to the Constitution and is urging the Government to enact the Seanad Bill 2020 introduced by Senator Higgins and Senator Michael McDowell.

Speaking after today’s ruling, Senator Higgins commended Tomas Heneghan for taking the case and said: “Today’s ruling underscores the urgent need for Seanad reform. That reform must be ambitious and comprehensive. The failure to legislate for the 1979 referendum reflects a wider history of evasion and delays around meaningful Seanad reform by successive governments over many decades.