Jerry Cowley (Mayo, Independent)

I am pleased to speak on this Bill. Its provisions reflect a shift of population from rural to urban areas as a result of the new commuter culture, principally in the counties around Dublin. It is obvious any further change in the future will reflect more an urban than a rural population. That is regrettable. Successive speakers have talked about the need to retain county boundaries. The Bill proposes changes in 23 constituencies, leaves 15 unchanged and creates five new ones but replaces four existing ones.

I wish to refer to remarks made by speakers of political parties, Deputies Ring and Durkan. Deputy Durkan did not accept the contention that Independents were good for the nation. I strongly disagree with that view. We address the issues that the political parties do not address. We would not be here were it not for the fact that the political parties have ignored the real issues of concern to people, particularly those in the west and north west who have suffered in this regard.

Changes are occurring. My fear is that we are moving from rural to urban representation, of which we already have enough.

There is great disillusionment with the political parties and I do not know if the proposed changes will help in any way to dispel that. It will be more difficult for Independents and candidates of small parties to get elected. People have voted with their feet to more than double the number of Independents elected to this Dáil. That did not happen by chance but because people realised that representation by Independents was the way forward. Independents are an advocate for the people. They can best represent the issues of concern in a constituency by cutting out the middle man, as it were, and the political party agenda. It is obvious that a group of Independents on a shared policy platform can go forward in a positive way. Although Independents can still continue to pursue individual constituency issues, the public would have an organised group for whom to vote at the next general election.

There is a move towards an Independent alliance, which could well hold the balance of power in the next general election and be in a position to participate in Government on the basis of agreed policies. Nobody can doubt that Independents are here to stay. Not only that, but they will be a major force to be reckoned with in future.

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