Ciarán Cuffe (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)

I welcome the Bill, which is essentially sensible, reflecting the exigencies of the changes in population that have occurred. I intend to support the Bill. The alternative of allowing the Minister to adjudicate on Dáil constituencies is probably not the best option. It is best that the system is independently exercised and the commission has done a good job in this regard. I recognise the concerns of the Save Leitrim campaign but there will always be winners and losers when drawing lines on a map and deciding figures. As a councillor I saw the south inner city divided into Dublin South-East and Dublin South-West. The former councillor, Brendan Lynch, advised that the best constituencies have the sea on one side because it guarantees one chunk of voters and I have taken this advice to heart.

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