Referendum 2013 » Mark Brennock

Referendum Commission responds to query on Seanad costs

Mark Brennock — Wed, 02 Oct 2013 16:50:06 +0000

The Referendum Commission has today responded to a request from Mr Richard Humphreys of One House, a group campaigning in the Seanad Referendum campaign, that it make clear that the figures supplied by the Houses of the Oireachtas to us in relation to the costs of running the Seanad related only to the costs to the Houses.

The Commission is expressing no view on whether or not there are other costs associated with the Seanad. We have no information on this. Below is the text of the Commission’s response.

Dear Mr Humphreys,
The Chairperson of the Referendum Commission, Ms Justice Elizabeth Dunne, has asked me to thank you for your email of 2 October and to reply on her behalf. In response to a number of requests from the public and from the media in relation to the costs of the Seanad, the Commission wrote to the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission on 11 September 2013 and asked it to publish any information it had on its website. The Referendum Commission was aware from a report of the proceedings of Public Accounts Committee in January 2012 that the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission had some of this information.

The Houses of the Oireachtas Commission replied on 18 September and informed the Referendum Commission that the total annual running costs of Seanad Éireann had been estimated in the region of €20m per annum and that this was based on the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission outturn for 2012. The Referendum Commission decided to publish this correspondence on its website and also decided to make no further comment on the matter.

While it may be that there are costs to the Exchequer which are met from other sources, the Referendum Commission does not have information on any such costs and it would not be appropriate for the Commission to comment on this.

Yours sincerely,

David Waddell
Secretary
Referendum Commission

The Commission’s original statement on this matter which includes links to the correspondence with the Houses of the Oireachtas can be viewed here http://referendum2013.ie/referendum-commission-writes-to-houses-of-the-oireachtas-commission-on-seanad-costs/

Referendum Commission writes to Houses of the Oireachtas Commission on Seanad costs

Mark Brennock — Fri, 20 Sep 2013 15:14:37 +0000

The Referendum Commission has received a number of requests for details of the costs of running Seanad Eireann, and of the savings that might accrue should the proposal to abolish the Seanad be approved by the people in the October 4^th referendum.

The Commission wrote to the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission on September 11^th saying it understood that the Houses of the Oireachtas Service may have estimates in relation to these costs and asking the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission would publish such information on its website.

The Houses of the Oireachtas Service replied on September 18^th giving information on the costs of the Seanad, but saying that these costs may not translate fully into savings.

Links to the correspondence are below:

Referendum Commission letter

Houses of the Oireachtas Commission response

Commission Chairperson explains role on Morning Ireland

Mark Brennock — Thu, 19 Sep 2013 08:23:44 +0000

The Chairperson of the Referendum Commission Judge Elizabeth Dunne was interviewed on Morning Ireland on Monday September 16, and explained the Commission’s role, and what the two referendums are about. She will be interviewed next Monday September 23 in detail on the Court of Appeal Referendum, and the following Monday September 30 on the referendum on the abolition of the Seanad.

http://www.rte.ie/news/morningireland/player.html?20130916,20438110,20438110,flash,232