A Labour TD has called for a 30% reduction in the number of deputies and senators in the Oireachtas.
Michael McNamara, a Clare TD, said the changes planned by the constituency commission, which is likely to reduce the number of TDs by eight to 158, do not go far enough.
“I understand that is all that can be done at the moment, because the constitution requires a maximum of 30,000 constituents for every TD,” he said. “However, I believe we should have a referendum to change the constitution and to allow us make more serious cuts. The change could be part of the constitutional referendum to abolish the Seanad.” McNamara is not in favour of abolishing the Seanad and would instead prefer a reduction of up to 20 of the 60 sitting senators. He believes there should be a proportional reduction of 30% in the 166 TDs, meaning 70 fewer members of the Oireachtas in total.
“I don’t think we need the high number of public representatives we have to serve such a small population. Also, the government has been talking a lot about reducing the number of public servants and calling for public servants to do more with fewer numbers. I don’t think we should be the only public servants who are exempt from that expectation.”
McNamara expects opposition to his proposals, particularly from within his own party. “A lot of people have said to me Labour would suffer disproportionately, because Labour often gets the last seat in a constituency,” he said.
Advertisement
“I accept I would probably lose my own seat ... if these measures were put in place before the next election. But if we don’t deliver the kind of profound political reform we promised before the last election, we won’t be elected back anyway.”
While in opposition Enda Kenny, the taoiseach, pledged to cut the size of the Dail by 20 seats to 146. However, this is not possible as the constitution requires one TD for every 20,000-30,000 people. A reduction of 20 TDs would have left a ratio of more than 31,000.
The findings of the constituency commission have not yet been published but were reported in detail recently, leading Thomas Byrne, a Fianna Fail senator, to question the source of the leak.
Byrne said members of the Fine Gael parliamentary party appeared to have knowledge of the commission’s report last month and were telling opposition colleagues of expected constituency changes.
He believes senior Fine Gael ministers gained an insight into the commission’s proposals after its report was completed in draft form and sent for printing. “The constituency commission has an important independent job and it is important we leave them to do that without interference from politicians,” Byrne said.
Advertisement
“I am not impugning the commission. Its membership has not changed and there has not been a pattern of leaks from previous reports. When the last one came out, all the Oireachtas members got it in their email at the same time.”