Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I have only two minutes and then I will adjourn the debate.

I have witnessed many electoral commissions presenting their findings to this House over the years. Up to now they have been an ad hoccommittee of disparate individuals with important tasks brought together simply to determine the constituency boundaries for an election. This is the first time we have actually had an Electoral Commission on a statutory basis with a much broader remit. As Deputy Matthews rightly said, we have only seen the very beginnings of what the Electoral Commission can present to us. A number of fundamental issues need to be addressed.

I will not oppose the legislation that simply transposes the recommendations of the Electoral Commission into law and provides the basis for the next election. I have already announced I will not be contesting the next election. This decision has nothing to do with the boundaries that are presented - I would be very happy to contest on any boundaries in my own area of Wexford. However, it is unfortunate, and Deputy Matthews has alluded to the notion, that a county I have represented for 37 years as an integrated entirety is now to be divided on a very arbitrary basis because the guidelines given to the Electoral Commission were as far as practicable - obviously it is not always practicable - to adhere to county divides and at least within counties to adhere where possible to electoral area divides.

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