James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)

I welcome this opportunity to contribute to the debate. I understand the Constituency Commission is an independent body and anything that follows should not be construed as undermining its independence. I understand it is independent and that its independence must be protected.

However, I must represent the views of my constituents, in particular the people of Swords. The Constituency Commission has seen fit to remove Portmarnock from my constituency and I can understand there being a certain geographical logic to that decision. However, I am sorry to lose those constituents of mine from Carrighill, Torcaill, Ardilaun, The Dunes, Beechwood, Dal Riada, to mention but a few, whom I had the pleasure to represent for a short period. Portmarnock has been an integral part of Dublin North for so long that the people there will find it difficult to come to terms with the change. It has, also, been represented by a very energetic, young Fine Gael councillor, Alan Farrell, who is currently Lord Mayor and who has given great service in the area.

Swords has grown tremendously in recent years and is now the undisputed capital of Fingal and the Fingal County Council offices are located there. There are further great plans for the town, including the long-awaited and oft promised metro north. Swords has been planned as a single entity in terms of its buildings, transport, schooling and policing systems and the current plan to hive off a third of the area, approximately 13,000 residents, into Dublin West will have many negative affects.

First, this denies the town its full identity. Second, the 13,000 residents transferred to Dublin West will, effectively, have a much reduced franchise as they will only make up 12% of the electorate in that area and will be dislocated geographically from the remainder of the Dublin West constituency. Third, the change could impede the cohesiveness of Sword's development into the future. Fingal County Council has sought to create a new identity and has been very successful in doing so for Fingal. The breaking up of Swords runs contrary to this.

Swords is very much an entity, being very distinct from Malahide, Santry or the other towns of Dublin North. Splitting it in two makes no sense from a political perspective and weakens the influence of Swords as a voting entity. It is currently one electoral ward. I take this opportunity to appeal to the Constituency Commission not to interfere with the area's integrity for the forthcoming council elections. While a mathematical problem and solution might explain the Constituency Commission's proposal, it makes no sense from the point of view of Government, governance, administration nor for the representation of the people of west Swords in estates such as River Valley Estate, Boroimhe, Ridgewood, Knocksedan Demesne, Highfields, Hawthorn Park, The Nurseries, Oulart, Forest Hills, Boru Court or the Forest Road. The people from these estates will have to travel all the way to Blanchardstown, 10 km away, to see their public representatives. This may not be far in the country, but in north Dublin it takes a long time.

While respecting the independence of the commission, one must speak out when what it proposes does not make sense. The impact of such proposals on the people is negative in every sense. No argument can be made for this bizarre and purely arbitrary redrawing of the constituency that would demonstrate it confers any advantage on the people of Swords. In light of these arguments and the strong feeling on the ground, this division of Swords for electoral purposes must be redressed. I hope the Constituency Commission will address these concerns and reverse its decision at the earliest opportunity. It should do so before the next general election when the provisional census figures come in.

Notwithstanding its independence, the commission has created serious problems for the people of Swords and has done them a considerable disservice by failing to realise the implications for our citizens versus the need for greater fairness in numerical representation. I hope it will be able to square the circle before the next election. I also hope that before the next election I will find that the people of Swords remain as my constituents. One way or the other, I intend to keep representing them to the best of my ability.

See this speech in context