Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 38:

"In page 41, to delete lines 22 and 23 and substitute the following: “(a) the total number of members of Dáil Éireann, subject to Article 16.2.2 of the Constitution, shall be not less than 169 and not more than 179;”."

Article 16.2.2° of the Constitution provides that the number of Members of Dáil Éireann shall from time to time be fixed by law, but that the total number of Members shall not be fixed at less than one Member per each 30,000 of the population, or more than one Member for each 20,000 of the population. This is calculated by reference to the most recent census of population.

Section 56(2)(a) of the Bill provides that when recommending Dáil constituencies, the electoral commission shall make recommendations based on the total Dáil membership, which is between 166 and 172. I am now proposing in this amendment to provide for an update to the terms of reference of the electoral commission in respect of the constituency revision. Following this update the electoral commission will be required following the next census of population to recommend Dáil constituencies based on a total number of Members in Dáil Éireann of not less than 169 and not more than 179. I am bringing forward this amendment in response to the latest estimates of population from the Central Statistics Office, CSO. Last year the CSO published an estimated population of 5.01 million. This would equate to a Dáil membership of at least 168. With further population growth likely since the estimate was made, I believe that the minimum membership of the Dáil permissible under the Constitution will likely be 169 or 170 Members. We will know that for sure when the results of the most recent census will become available. I believe that a membership range of between 169 and 179 will allow the electoral commission a reasonable degree of flexibility to make recommendations on Dáil constituencies that are in line with constitutional provisions.