Marc MacSharry (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

This is a shambles, as is the case every time a Bill of this nature is published. We are bound by Article 16 of the Constitution and the practice, which is a horrible word often used in the House, is that all Members will say that the Bill is great and accept it and on we go. I ask the Minister of State, who I have known for a long time, to be the pioneering Minister who facilitates a public consultation in the year ahead on how Article 16 could and should be amended to take cognisance of how the population of Ireland is currently constituted. There is no question that when the Constitution was written in 1937, the population of the country and the migratory patterns that have happened since could not have been envisaged. On foot of that and the failure to amend Article 16, the practice currently applied by the electoral commission, which does the best job it can in very difficult circumstances, is probably as good as it can be. However, the practice has become for the commission to look at where the population is, ensure a minimum of one Deputy per 30,000 people and then try to stuff together whatever voters are left over. It could happen in the Minister of State's constituency. Piltown and Fiddown could be put in with another part of Waterford or Carrick-on-Suir in south Tipperary. That is the kind of thing that could happen. We now have hybrid constituencies such as my own, which is more akin to a constituency for the 1984 European Parliament election than a modern Dáil constituency. People are being disenfranchised. That is not to say that any Deputy would not be exceptionally proud to represent all people, regardless of whether they live in Boyle, Sligo, Donegal or anywhere else.

The fact is that Article 16 of the Constitution is not fit for purpose. We need a constitutional referendum. I am not saying I have the solution, but we need to find a different way. In 30 years' time, no matter who is sitting in these seats, we will have 120 Deputies representing the greater Dublin conurbation from Wexford to Dundalk and a sprinkling of 40 or 45 Deputies representing the rest of the country, which is not on, and at some stage some Minister will suggest considering the matter. I, therefore, ask the Minister of State for a public consultation on this. It would not cost very much. Let us see what innovative, creative ideas are out there that could take cognisance of the fact that we need representation of all parts of Ireland. We can then have a constitutional referendum on Article 16 and make the necessary improvements.

Regarding the naming of constituencies, and I know there are some proposed amendments in this regard, but to add insult to injury, what are the people of south Donegal or south Roscommon to think when their constituency is called Sligo-Leitrim? The people of west Cavan were rightly indignant that they were moved into that constituency. It was joked around these Houses that some Deputies and Senators from that part of the country would erect signs stating "Welcome to Sligo-Leitrim" in Virginia. Such decisions are an insult to people. If there must be long constituency names in this flawed process, call the constituency South Donegal, Sligo-Leitrim and North Roscommon, because that is what it is. Give people the dignity of acknowledging the place where they live.

I thank the Acting Chairman for the opportunity to make a few points. I genuinely believe that if we want to prepare a proper vision for the generations that will come to these Houses in the future, we need to reform and have a constitutional referendum on Article 16.

See this speech in context