John Ellis (Fianna Fail)

The Electoral (Amendment) Bill will come before the House after Christmas. This Bill is based on a report by the Boundary Commission which was given certain terms of reference which were not adhered to in the preparation of the report on which this legislation is based. Is it open to the House to obtain legal opinion on the validity of the Bill? My information is that the Bill is flawed because the commission which prepared the report did not remain within its terms of reference and broke them on numerous occasions. The Bill divides counties, areas, regions and even places parts of counties in other provinces, which was outside the terms of reference of the commission. I understand that once it is challenged in the courts after it has passed through both Houses it will be overturned.