John Ellis (Fianna Fail)

Yes, Waterford to Tullow but if we take Mayo as an example, and having to travel from Blacksod to Cong, what is being done is unrealistic. In terms of rural areas, a case will have to be made with regard to the tolerance for membership of the Dáil. We must be fair about it.

When the Constitution came into operation in 1937, there were approximately 16,000 people per Member of the Dáil. It has now increased to 25,000 or 26,000. Where is the justice in terms of representation for people? People will say it costs too much money to run this House and attacks will be made on every Member on a continual basis. We have seen that in the past number of weeks with regard to Members' entitlements in these Houses but the people who are making the attacks do not live in the real world. They do not have to do what public representatives of all parties and none have to do, which is service their electorate. Some of the "perks" given to some of us in these Houses that have been talked about are crucifixions in my opinion because they are no benefit to us. People say we get milage but there is no mention of us having to travel 40 or 50 miles three or four times a week to a funeral. That is taken for granted. They say we would be going anyway. We would not be going but for the fact that one is a public representative and we have dealings with people outside our circle of friends and relatives.

I notice the Minister did not refer this Bill to the Attorney General to determine its constitutionality. This Bill disenfranchises people. It prevents them from being represented by their own local representative and in doing that the commission has broken its terms of reference. The Minister can say what he likes but when I asked him as a point of order on Second Stage if that was the first decision taken he said "yes".

That begs another question. How could the Minister be aware of that? I made freedom of information applications to get the documentation that was used. I explored every avenue, right up to the Ombudsman whose office should not be in a position to determine a freedom of information request because——