John Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)

It may be. The people of Wexford have loved me for 29 years. The Minister, Deputy Hogan, has been loved in Kilkenny too. The proposal to reduce the number of Members of this House is not wise . If the maximum reduction is made €3 million will be saved. If the maximum reduction is not made - I doubt that the commission will agree to the maximum reduction - the saving will be much less.

The Minister might clarify if one of the reasons the Government has not gone down the route of the 20 Deputy reduction is because such a reduction would affect the west more than any other part of the country.

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