Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

Like the Minister, I was also struck by the degree to which Deputy Morgan was harking back to the days of the Free State for a formula for organising the constituencies.

Deputy Harkin mentioned the issue of population change and population decline in particular. An analysis of the census of 2002 — the phenomenon may be replicated in the 2006 census — reveals that the areas where population is declining are the expensive inner suburbs of the cities. In my constituency there has been a significant population decline. In areas such as Blackrock, for example, the population is declining for a simple reason, namely, the fact that housing has become too expensive, young families cannot afford to live there and regeneration is not taking place. This is possibly an issue for another day but it is a problem to which we have yet to face up. Population decline is not occurring in the places where it used to occur.

My amendment attempts to address a situation where a county boundary needs to be retained. If one takes the example of County Wicklow, it is likely that when the 2006 census results are published, the county may justify having six seats rather than its current allocation of five. If that is the case, and under the existing legislation, Wicklow will have to be divided in some way. It could be divided into two three seat constituencies or perhaps some other formula could be agreed upon. It would make sense for a commission to have the option to examine the possibility of retaining the county's integrity. It would be useful if it had a greater degree of latitude in its decision-making. Where six seats would solve the problem, the commission would not then have to divide the county with all of the discontinuity that can entail. My amendment simply seeks to allow for a degree of latitude.

On the question of proportionality and larger numbers of seats, it depends on one's starting point. If an individual or party is on 12% of the vote, then one could say that winning one seat in a seven seat constituency is proportionate. However, if that rises to 20% of the vote in a seven seat constituency and still only one seat is won, then it is no longer proportionate. Proportionality depends on one's starting point. It is not necessarily the case that larger numbers of seats confer greater proportionality, particularly in terms of political parties rather than individuals. One could have, for example, a four seat and a three seat constituency side by side that might be merged into a seven seat constituency. There might be two independent candidates from each of the original constituencies who would then find themselves in the same seven seat constituency. That might not be the most comfortable arrangement and it might not produce the kind of proportionate results that people seek. Proportionality has a lot to do with perception.

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