John Paul Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)

At a time when an embargo is being imposed on public sector recruitment and with record levels of unemployment, it is appropriate to restructure significantly the numbers involved in the Oireachtas. The Minister's efforts in that direction are to be welcomed and I would support further radical reform in this area. People have spoken about the need to change and possibly expand constituency size to six or seven seats. I am a firm supporter of single seat constituencies and the Minister should give further consideration to that alternative as a way of reforming the way our political system operates. It is often the case that the biggest competition is within political parties, which is unhelpful and does not necessarily deliver an effective Oireachtas.

I support Deputy Olivia Mitchell's comments regarding the need for full reform of local government as well as the procedures of this House. Our local government system does not work and, while I am aware the Minister intends to bring legislation in this regard later in the year, it is not sustainable that some counties contain as many as six local authorities. We need to consider rationalising them.

Deputy Timmins spoke earlier about the electoral register. Any reform of our electoral system needs to include a radical overhaul of how the register is compiled because to describe the system as haphazard is putting it mildly. I hope the Minister will be able to introduce further reform in this area.

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