Seanadland

So Enda finally got around to completing the new line-up for the Seanad. If he delivers on his electoral promise of holding a referendum with a view to abolishing the lower house then the eleven he appointed yesterday evening will be the last a Taoiseach of this country will ever have to appoint.

The cost of running this show over the duration of the Dáil is €150 million, surely way to much for a house that has no powers, but has often been used as a place to put political failures or those on the way up.
With default on the national debt a very real possibility and the level of cut backs in public services, surely it is time to disband it once and for all.
In a welcome move, half of the Taoiseach appointee's come from outside the world of politics, and there is even a custy number for the President's number 2, Martin McAleese.
Nice to see sporting legend Eamonn Coghlan among them.

Here's the full list -

• Martin McAleese, Dental Surgeon and Presidential husband.
  
• Mary Moran, Teacher
• Mary Ann O’Brien, Businesswoman and co-founder of Jack & Jill Foundation
• Marie Louise O’Donnell, Educationalist
• Jillian van Turnhout, Childrens Rights Alliance
• Katherine Zappone, Member of the Irish Human Rights Commission
• Eamonn Coghlan; Director, Crumlin Children’s Medical & Research Foundation
• Jim Darcy, Teacher & Member of Louth County Council
• Aideen Hayden, Solicitor & Chairperson of Threshold
• Lorraine Higgins, Barrister
• Fiach MacConghail, Director of Abbey Theatre