Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if a decision is taken to reduce the number of seats the State is entitled to in the European Parliament as a result of the accession of Croatia, the steps which will be taken in relation to the issue; if he will extend the remit of the current Constituencies Commission which is considering local government electoral boundaries; if a new Constituency Commission will be established; if he will outline the timescale for this process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6673/13]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Article 14.2 of the Treaty on European Union sets an overall ceiling of 751 seats for the European Parliament. There is a need to readjust the distribution of seats in the Parliament to take account of the accession of Croatia in 2013. This will need to be done in good time before the 2014 elections.

The right of initiative on this matter rests with the European Parliament. The European Parliament Constitutional Affairs Committee is currently considering a draft report on the matter and Ireland would lose a seat if the recommendations in that were carried through. The European Parliament will vote in Plenary on this matter in March. It will then go to the General Affairs Council.

In the event that Ireland’s total number of seats in the European Parliament is reduced it will be necessary to review and revise the constituency arrangement. In the meantime my Department is giving consideration to how such a review and revision might be addressed once decisions are made in Europe.