John Ellis (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail)

Leitrim — which has risen from the ashes, made tremendous strides and is now becoming the envy of the rest of the country — is facing the possibility of ending up with no representation. We all know where this leads. Everybody accepts that if one is not represented in the House, one will not get one's slice of the cake. When one has representation, one will achieve something, provided one makes the effort.

I hope that between now and 2007, some mechanism will be found to review the decision that has been made. If no such mechanism is found, the only commitment I will be able to give to those I have represented for the past 30 years is that I will endeavour to return to the House to represent the new constituency of Roscommon-South Leitrim. The only way I will be able to represent them is if they decide, in sufficient numbers, that they want me to do so. Anybody who believes it can be achieved in another way is living in cloud cuckoo land. When the next commission is given its terms of reference, let it be made mandatory for county boundaries, irrespective of constituencies' tolerances, to be sacrosanct.

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