Dinny McGinley (Donegal South West, Fine Gael)

I speak as one of the two surviving Deputies in Donegal South-West for the past year and a half. In the judgment today, the judge conveyed that the 70,000 people of Donegal South-West are under-represented in this assembly. We need all the representation we are entitled to in Donegal South-West, when one sees economic difficulties in the county and particularly in that constituency. Does the Minister of State agree that on three occasions in the past year and a half, attempts have been made to move the writ and were voted down by a political majority on the Government side of the House? With the judgment agreeing with those on this side of the House, does the Minister of State not accept it is high time people were given the opportunity to elect a third representative so that the constituency is on a par with every other three-seat constituency in this country? It is now 4.30 p.m. and the Cabinet is meeting at 5 p.m. Between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m., the Government can come to a decision with the assistance of the Attorney General and tell us before Private Members' time whether we will have the by-election.

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