Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

Will the Government consider constitutional or legislative change to compel Governments, now and in the future, to uphold the right of all of the electorate to its franchise? I am referring to the issue of by-elections resulting from the demise or departure of sitting Members of this Chamber. We are almost 12 months on from the creation of such a vacancy as a result of the European Union elections of last year, namely, in the constituency of Donegal South-West. Is it not an imperative of the Government to act within a reasonable and, by way of a constitutional or legislative change, a set time to hold the said by-election in order to ensure that each constituency has the full allocated representation commensurate with its population?

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