Darragh O'Brien (Dublin North, Fianna Fail)

What I have to say today bears no reflection on the eminent people who are members of the committee. I believe even the most eminent can make mistakes. This report contains glaring errors and inconsistencies. I listened with interest in the Chamber today and on the monitor in my office to the contributions made by Deputies Thomas Byrne, John Cregan and Charles Flanagan. Some of the recommendations in respect of many of the constituencies across the country do not make sense to me. It is a great honour to be a Member of the House and the constituents who elected us a short 12 months ago have been raising with their TDs and with Senators the grave concerns they have about this report and the feeling they could be disenfranchised and have their representation reduced.

Although I am pleased to have this opportunity to speak on the Constituency Commission report I must admit I would rather not because if I did not have to speak on it I would not have to address the issues which the report has raised. On my first reading of the report I was astonished to see some of the recommendations made for my constituency of Dublin North. The findings of the report mean that more than 21,000 voters will be transferred not to one constituency but to two, namely Dublin North-East and Dublin West. I see Deputy Varadkar walking in so I will make a clear case as to why Swords should not go to Dublin West.

These proposed changes are made without any regard to historical boundaries, contiguous areas or geography. It is my clear view the commission took the easy way out in dealing with Dublin North. It was obvious to everyone that the population of my constituency as per the 2006 census meant an extra seat should have been added and that the constituency should have become a five seat constituency. I state this without any personal or political gain in mind. All four TDs elected last year will be equally affected by these findings. No political party will benefit over another or be disadvantaged more than any other.

This report, if implemented, will weaken the representation of the people of Dublin North. I have had literally hundreds of complaints from concerned constituents of all party allegiances and none with regard to the effective partitioning of Dublin North, in particular the capital town of Fingal, namely, Swords, which I will put in an historical context. For centuries, Swords has been the capital town of Fingal. It has seen many changes over hundreds of years but none as drastic as this. It was one of the original settlements of St. Colmcille and received the slain body of the high king of Ireland, Brian Boru, who was the first O'Brien and it is important that I am speaking on his behalf. He and his son Murragh were laid out in the church in Swords after the battle of Clontarf.

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