Eugene Murphy (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit. He is very welcome, as usual. I agree with much that has been said by Senators Cummins and Boyhan. I am very much of the opinion that this is an independent commission and we must have trust in an independent commission. Tinkering with what an independent commission has done, when it seems to have done a good job, would not be a good thing, so I am glad that no amendments will be accepted on this.

On 30 August last, the Electoral Commission made its independent recommendation to the Oireachtas on the make-up of Ireland's electoral constituencies for the next Dáil and European Parliament elections. As we have heard, when the report was released, the commission recommended that the next Dáil would see 174 TDs representing 43 constituencies, up from the current 160 TDs and 39 constituencies.

If I have been asked about anything over the past weeks, it is why we are increasing the number of TDs in Dáil Éireann. We need to explain this to people because it is valid for them to ask why we need 14 extra TDs. The reality is that it is in the Constitution and we have constitutional responsibilities. When we explain that to people, they realise it, but it is certainly something that is exercising the minds of people. Everywhere I went, I was asked why we need an extra 14 TDs. We have to explain to people that there are issues that we need to deal with, there is the Constitution and we need to have a certain number of people represented by each TD. With the population increasing quite rapidly, it is important that those adjustments are made. Of course, as we now see, the constitutional requirements on representation mean that each TD in a 174-seat Dáil would represent an average of 29,593 people, down from the current 32,182.The recommendations also meet the statutory criteria set down for this review. It is only fair to say there has been a real attempt here not to have too many constituencies tied up in an electoral division. At the last election, my own area of north Roscommon was in a constituency with Sligo, Leitrim and south Donegal. It would take you a fair while to get from one end to the other in a gluaisteán and longer on a bicycle but I can tell you one thing, it would not be an easy tour. With all respect to my colleagues there, the former Minister of State, Deputy Feighan and Deputy MacSharry and Marian Harkin TD, the people represented that area and they did a good job but it is literally impossible to get around from one end of that constituency to the other. It probably cost me my seat as well, to be honest. But I am glad to see the 8,000 votes that went out of the area I represent have come back into Roscommon. Now we have a reduction in the size of the vote from Galway but we need that vote to make up the numbers. We have to be realistic about that. It is not going to be a situation of being able to put three TDs into Roscommon at the moment. In saying that, we should also look geographically at counties because Roscommon, from a rural perspective, is a hell of a long county. The biggest town in county Roscommon is just 6,500. It is very rural and for TDs to get around it is a significant difficulty. I made this recommendation to the review committee although I knew it would not be accepted. However, I am glad that it put Roscommon back as one county. That is really important.

In that regard, I must welcome the work of the commission. It is very important that we deal with it now and have it in place for the next election. There are now changes to the European situation too. In our area we have an extra seat and it is now five seats instead of four. Following the confirmation, An Coimisiún Toghcháin carried out a further review of the European Parliament constituencies and published its European Parliament constituency report 2023 on 20 November. It recommended a three-constituency configuration with Dublin to have four seats, which is unchanged; South to have five seats; and, with the transfer of Laois and Offaly to Midlands-North-West, which is the area I live in, that constituency to have five seats, which is an increase of one. The Bill, as amended in the Dáil, will also provide for the recommendation of the commission in respect of the European Parliament constituencies.

In all, it is good for our democracy. I think there is a genuine effort to tidy up the constituencies and focus them on one county, if possible. As I said, in cases such as Roscommon-Galway it is just not possible because there are not enough votes in the county of Roscommon for three TDs. I welcome this, support it fully and look forward to it moving on quickly and being in place for the next election.