FG proposals on electoral reform meeting significant opposition - Thomas Byrne TD

Posted on 19/03/10 by Thomas Byrne

As Fine Gael prepares to “unveil” the full details of their much leaked document on electoral reform at the Fine Gael national conference this weekend, criticisms of the proposals has become louder not only amongst Fine Gael party members and Young Fine Gael but also within the Labour Party.

It suggests that their plans for electoral reform have little support and even less chance of being implemented in Government.

Fine Gael’s proposals on electoral reform have served to highlight a number of divisions within the party and also a clear frustration with the party leadership. Details of these divisions first emerged late last year when Enda Kenny, without any consultation with his party colleagues, announced that he intended to abolish the Seanad within one year of being elected. Many of his colleagues were hugely critical of his proposal at the time and the way in which it was handled, most notably, former FG minister Nora Owen and Senator John Paul Phelan. It was also criticised by the Labour Party.

Fine Gael’s proposals for the introduction of a mixed member electoral system has also been met with open opposition from some within the party. Recently, Fine Gael’s Michael Ring TD said “I will never agree with it. I think a list system is a class system. It will benefit the super rich with influence.” This week, Fine Gael’s Lucinda Creighton broke ranks making it clear that she felt the party’s document on electoral reform was being railroaded through and that Fine Gael backbenchers were expected to play the role of “performing monkeys”.

Young Fine Gael have gone a step further and published a document entitled Transforming Our Democracy where they dimiss many of the reforms driven by their party leader Enda Kenny and his team as “piecemeal”. Young Fine Gael also question if such fundamental changes to the democratic system can be justified under the heading of “cost savings”.

The Labour Party has also rubbished Fine Gael’s core proposals on electoral reform. Joanna Tuffy told the Irish Times this week that she believed list systems to be “profoundly undemocratic” and that she agreed with Michael McDowell “that the abolition of the Seanad will be a mistake”.

Fine Gael is promoting this policy document on electoral reform as a critical aspect of what they intend to do in Government, yet the party leadership seems to be completely at odds with its party members over many of the key proposals. Comments from Michael Ring, Lucinda Creighton and Young Fine Gael, the aftermath of Enda Kenny's proposal to the abolish the Seanad and the reaction of the Labour Party would suggest that these reforms will never see the light of day if Fine Gael get in to power.

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