Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I am happy to support Deputy Ó Cuív's amendment. The Minister made an aside that we were happy to go in with Galway. We are not. This is a serious point. I know we accept an independent report and reports of the Constituency Commission have over the years been completely accepted. Perhaps it is time to look at that process and perhaps there should be a draft report. Never mind the people in here - communities are very unhappy at being sequestered into Galway in order to make up the numbers for Galway. The name of the constituency is important. We are not advocating a change in the boundaries. It recognises the fact that over 10,000 Mayo people will now be voting in Galway West. They are not there just to make up the numbers. They will make a very serious impact on that constituency and that impact and input should be recognised in the title of the constituency. The name of the proposed constituency is outlined in legislation which is why the Minister is in a position to change it and he can do so without affecting the independence of the Constituency Commission as it will not affect the boundaries.

It is not just people in this side of the House who support it. Various Government Deputies have been running around south Mayo in the past few weeks telling people that they too want Mayo South to be included in the constituency title. Today gives them an opportunity to stand with the people of south Mayo who are very proud members of our county and have their identity recognised in this new constituency.

If the commission came back and said that Carlow-Kilkenny was to be known as Carlow plus a bit, the Minister might not have been too happy with that. I can assure Deputy Ó Cuív that it is only the Government who is changing the voters. Footballers like Donal Vaughan will still play for Mayo and when it comes to Sunday in May, we will still hammer Galway regardless of where we are. This is a serious matter that is important for the people in that part of the county who are not happy at being moved so let us kill off that argument first. Due to the fact that they are not happy and they are a significant input, they should be recognised in the naming of the constituency.

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