For all the musings that the Seanad should be abolished, the argument could be reversed in that it could actually help provide the country with a way out of the mess in which it has found itself.

At present two government ministers can be appointed to cabinet from the upper house, but the stipulation is that they cannot become taoiseach, tánaiste or finance minister. Perhaps, at the next election we should look to increase that quota instead of abolishing the whole thing.

The benefits could be obvious. Leading businessmen could be appointed to the Seanad with the direct intention of appointing them to cabinet to drive efficiency, reform the public service and help make the country self-financing.

Topshop owner Philip Green was brought into Whitehall to seek out waste and handed over 33 pages last week setting out potential cost savings for the British government. We've already done that with An Bord Snip Nua but much of its recommendations have been ignored by politicians fearful for their own survival. Using the Seanad, we could implement the recommendations while also having reports done on day-to-day waste by government ministers with the cojones actually to see them implemented.

The attractions of increasing the potential Seanad representation at cabinet would be obvious. There would be no direct answering to constituents, meaning the job could be done right rather than for vote-management reasons, and the expertise brought in would generate efficiencies. Increased use of reverse auctions by government anybody?

Instead, constituency concerns could be addressed by the directly-elected TD.

You get the politicians you deserve and in this country we've shown far too much willingness to vote local at the expense of national policies. It is one of the main reasons the country has to borrow two out of every five euro it spends; we've elected too many politicians who are chancers or "lovable rogues". It's time for maturity at the ballot box and if we as voters don't show it then we'll have to find a way of getting suitable people into government.

We simply don't have enough real-world experience at the cabinet table. Instead we have career politicians, many of whom inherited seats from their fathers, who simply haven't the experience to make the right decision. For that reason, the tough decisions are shirked and instead reports are commissioned and then reviewed before being watered down when implemented. That simply isn't good enough anymore.

Of course, the fear would be that leading politicians would think about themselves first and use the Seanad to appoint their friends to positions above their ability. But public opprobrium, as well as rebelling backbench TDs jealous at being passed over, should ensure that that culture would end. It would be none too soon.

And if the businessmen turned politicians weren't good enough? As political appointees they'd be out on their ear at the next election.