Seanad vote: Polls open in Republic of Ireland referendums 4 October 2013 Last updated at 09:59 Voting in the Senate referendums has begun in the Republic of Ireland, after polls opened at 07:00 BST. The Seanad Éireann (Irish senate) is the upper house of the Irish Parliament and has existed for more than 90 years. The current Irish government has said it costs too much to run and is no longer necessary in the democratic process. Opponents want it retained and reformed, saying it plays an essential role in holding governments to account. It cannot block legislation passed by the Dáil (lower house) but it can delay it by up to three months. More than three million people are eligible to vote on whether or not to abolish the Seanad. They will also be voting on whether or not to establish a Court of Appeal and other changes to the courts system. More than 6,000 polling stations across the Irish Republic will remain open until 22:00 BST on Friday. A spokesman for the Department of the Environment warned on Thursday that writing on ballot papers could jeopardise votes as returning officers could deem them spoiled.