Michael McDowell has said scrapping the Seanad will save every taxpayer less than the price of a bottle of milk.

The former Tánaiste, and leader of the now-defunct Progressive Democrats, told the MacGill Summer School that the Seanad is not expensive - and costs every Irish citizen around €€1.60 a year.

Mr McDowell is part of a group which is campaigning for a No vote in the referendum on scrapping the Seanad.

He says he wants the Taoiseach to reassure the public that the Seanad will be reformed if voters reject the Government's plan to scrap it in the coming referendum.

Mr McDowell produced a two-litre container of milk to illustrate his point:

McDowell at #macgill13 pulls out a 2l jug of milk (€2.09 up here): Dearer than the #Seanad, he says pic.twitter.com/a9UDYLkyHb

— Gavan Reilly (@gavreilly) July 30, 2013