FURTHER AND HIGHER EDUCATION Minister Simon Harris has said the number of TDs shouldn’t increase “ad nauseam”.
Minister Harris was today asked by reporters for his initial reaction to a report from the Electoral Commission which recommended increasing the number of TDs by 14.
This would bring the total number of TDs to 174.
Under Article 16.2 of the Constitution, there must be a TD for every 20,000-30,000 people.
The Electoral Commission was given the remit of increasing the number of TDs within the range of 171 and 181 TDs and its report landed on 174.
If adopted, there would now be a TD for every 29,593 people.
While Harris said he didn’t “have a number in mind” regarding TDs, he added that that’s a “good thing”.
“I don’t think any one politician or political party, or government or opposition should be answering that question,” said Harris.
“The factual position today is that the Constitution is the word on the matter. It’s the people’s book and that says very clearly what we need to do.”
Harris added that he “certainly wouldn’t be buying into any sort of populist narrative about reducing the number of politicians for the sake of it”.
However, he referenced a “climate in which the number is increasing” and said: “What is actually the appropriate level? When does the increase stop, and I think we have a duty in due course to answer that question.”
Harris said the Commission has an “opportunity, included in their legislation, to actually carry out research and to start exciting conversations”.
He added that one of these conversations could be on “what the appropriate number of TDs is”.
“What I have said very clearly, is I do think we need an informed debate in this country about should the number of national legislators be entirely and exclusively linked to population?
“For clarity, the Electoral Commission has reported, the government should legislate and get on with that.
“But aside from that, as we go forward, are we really going to live in a country where we’re just going to increase the number of TDs ad nauseam, or are we actually going to have a conversation.”
Harris told reports that the “numbers can just continue to grow and grow” and added: “I don’t think it’s unreasonable to say that at some point in time, we owe it to the Irish people to actually have an informed discussion; how many national legislators does Ireland need?”
The Further and Higher Education Minister was also open to putting this question to a vote.
“If that brings us to a point where that requires putting a question to the people, allowing the people a say – after all, this is all about the people, it’s democracy – then I think we should be open to doing that.”
Harris also noted that the Commission has a research function and said: “The Electoral Commission could, and again it’s not for me to dictate, but could in due course do an interesting piece of work in relation to other countries, their experiences, best practice and what we could learn from that.”
As well as adding to the number of TDs , four new constituencies are also set to be created.
Dublin Fingal is due to be split into two three-seaters – East and West.
The report also recommends a new three-seat Wicklow-Wexford constituency, while keeping both constituencies of Wicklow and Wexford as well.
Harris voiced concern at the impact this will have on people who live in these changed constituencies.
“People can see hometowns moving out of areas, people can see difficulty caused at local level.
“I’m not talking about the politicians, I’m talking about where you actually fit in terms of your identity in the political system.”
Simon Harris is from Co Wicklow and said there will be “mixed feelings in the county”.
“So forget politicians for a moment; I think anytime a constituency is split, or that there’s any change, I think there’s mixed feelings.
“I’m from County Wicklow all my life and that county identity I know is so important to people right across Wicklow, so there’ll be mixed views on that.”
However, Harris said “from an electoral point of view” that he is “happy enough with the lines on the map in terms of the next election and now having that clarity as to what that will look like”.
Harris said the Commission’s report was “recognition that the population has increased so significantly in my county (of Wicklow) and that Wicklow deserves increased representation in Dáil Éireann”.
“Between the Wicklow constituency and the Wicklow-Wexford constituency, you will now see four seats and three seats, so seven seats instead of previously five seats,” said Harris.
“That is a recognition that my neighbours, friends and constituents have a constitutional right to increased representation in the Dáil.”
-With additional reporting from Christina Finn, Rónán Duffy and Mairead Maguire
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