Immediate Change.

The Irish Senate remained part of the constitution at 4.20pm on 5-10-2013 with the 60 members of this upper government chamber.

As the national returning officer Riona Ni Fhlanghaile relays the constitutional verdict to continue as democratic governance. Some 51.8 per cent of the electorate has rejected the proposition to Abolish the Upper House with 48.2 per cent voting in favor. 'The people decided Seanad Éireann should be retained , Edna Kenny the prime minister said 'naturally I was personally disappointed but I fully respect and accept the outcome.' Sometimes in politics you get a wallop in the electoral process, I accept the verdict of the people. 'The Taoiseach said it was too early to say what the Government might do in respect of Seanad reform. But that he would consider putting it to the Constitution Convention. He said he had seen a range of proposals. but that these would likely 'require another referendum'. said a process of change in politics will continue and 'it's important to assess how best the Senate can contribute to that process of reform'

The coalition labor leader Mr Gilmore said a distinction would have to be made if the Seanad could be reformed in the existing constitutional framework or if a constitutional change was needed. He said the Constitutional Convention would be an option for considering. This would be how to proceed with the Seanad but that the matter would also be considered in the Upper House by the Dail and by the public.

Mr Gilmore said the Seanad referendum 'would not be put to the public again' as was the case following the rejection of the Nice and Lisbon treaties.
As it's not the same as some complicated European Treaty which requires a lot of explanation and examination, he said. "This was a straight Yes or No, are we going to have one parliamentary chamber or two." Seanad colleagues, Fine Gael's Catherine Noone and Eamonn Coghlan, are also said to be in the running for mitchell's seat with Fine Gael TD Peter Mathews and Dublin's Lord Mayor Naoise Ó Muirí also in contention. As a result of Croatia's accession to the EU, the number of MEPs representing Ireland in the European Parliament will be reduced from 12 to 11 next year requiring a redrawing of Ireland's European constituency boundaries. It is not yet clear what effect this will have on Mitchell's Dublin constituency as it is currently constituted.