Kenny to reduce TD numbers

MayoForSam

Enda Kenny has come out and reckons we should reduce TD numbers by 20:http://www.rte.ie/news/2009/0724/kennye.html

That won't make him any popular with even his own back benchers but should go down well with the public. Reducing the number of local councils needs to go hand in hand with reduction in head count in the Dail as well. Whats the ratio of public representatives to population in this country? A lot higher than most other western democracies I should think.

Fun and games ahead if this policy was to be actually implemented.

solice

Probably just more hot air from FG ala compensating taxi drivers... Opportunistic comment I would imagine.

Riskymove

a welcome idea ....but


"Kenny to cut numbers"

In reading the story its more like "could cut numbers" IF Censusu figures allow for it.

There's also a quote about "between 10 and 20 TDs" being cut and a Review of electoral matters

I don't see any definite commitments here

Biggins

Nice idea but won't happen.
FF will at the next election lose enough seats, the last thing they will allow is even more to go amid their constituencies.

P. Breathnach

I think the suggestion is in the same realm as the opposition objecting to the Dail rising for the summer: posturing.

Mario007

a nice idea but it wont really do much in respect to saving money as McCarthy has pointed out.

i wonder would kenny support the reduction in local council numbers

Raiser

The title is very misleading - it implies that Enda Kenny is going to effect change of some sort?

Am I wrong in thinking that Enda Kenny just spends year after wasted year scampering around on the sidelines of Irish Politics, yapping away from time to time like an excitable, annoying terrier?

- He is a huge part of the problem as he offers no real alternative to anybody.

Hagar

It will take another referendum to get the numbers changed.
AFAIK the number is laid out in the Constitution.

sink

Hagar wrote: »

It will take another referendum to get the numbers changed.
AFAIK the number is laid out in the Constitution.

Not precisely, there is room for manoeuvre.

Bunreacht Na Heireann, Article 16 wrote:

1° Dáil Éireann shall be composed of members who represent constituencies determined by law.

2° The number of members shall from time to time be fixed by law, but the total number of members of Dáil Éireann shall not be fixed at less than one member for each thirty thousand of the population, or at more than one member for each twenty thousand of the population.

3° The ratio between the number of members to be elected at any time for each constituency and the population of each constituency, as ascertained at the last preceding census, shall, so far as it is practicable, be the same throughout the country.

4° The Oireachtas shall revise the constituencies at least once in every twelve years, with due regard to changes in distribution of the population, but any alterations in the constituencies shall not take effect during the life of Dáil Éireann sitting when such revision is made.

5° The members shall be elected on the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote.

6° No law shall be enacted whereby the number of members to be returned for any constituency shall be less than three.

Bob Z

How would this effect the partys? WOuld the smaller parties be hit the hardest


TBH though i don't think think this will happen. Even if Kenny gets ito power i think even his own party would be against it