Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)

In fairness, the commission will be independent. In reply to Senator Wilson who always asks a prescient question, the membership of the commission is set down in law. Section 7 of the Electoral (Amendment) Act 2009 reads:

A Constituency Commission shall consist of the following members:

(a) (i) a judge of the Supreme Court, or (ii) following consultation with the President of the High Court, a judge of the High Court, nominated by the Chief Justice, who shall be the chairperson of the Commission; (b) the Ombudsman;

(c) the Secretary General of the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government; (d) the Clerk of the Dáil; and (e) the Clerk of the Seanad.

In reply to the points made by Senator Cullinane, the Act reads:

Upon the publication by the Central Statistics Office, following a Census of Population, of the Census Report setting out the preliminary result of the Census in respect of the total population of the State there shall be established by the Minister, by order, a commission (in this Act referred to as "a Constituency Commission") to perform the functions assigned to it by this Part.

The Act is clear in this regard.

Submissions made to the commission were published on-line and I anticipate that will also be the case on this occasion, as we wish to ensure maximum participation. The integrity of geographical county boundaries is absolutely sacrosanct. I should not apologise for the fact that the maroon and white jersey of County Westmeath defines me.