Letters

Electoral Commission constituency review – the bigger picture

Commission has done its job but politicians have kicked to touch on wider reform

Sat Sept 02 2023 - 00:06

Sir, – Senator Malcolm Byrne seems to suggest that along with our now 174 elected parliamentarians, we should significantly increase the number of our 949 county and city councillors (Letters, September 1st).

For this to have any sense, central government would need to devolve significant policy and budgetary powers to the cities and regions and no Irish government has shown an appetite for such a radical approach.

However, were that to change, we would then be obliged to return to the drawing board to consider a reduction in the number of TDs, simply to ensure that all of these people would have something to keep them occupied. One cannot have it both ways. – Yours, etc,

MARTIN McDONALD,

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Dublin 12.

Sir, – In the wake of the Electoral Commission publishing its 2023 Constituency Review Report, there will be much talk in the media of the winners and losers among our political class. I cannot help thinking, however, that the real losers in all this will be the Irish electorate.

In a system which endeavours to represent voters’ preferences proportionately, the increase in three-seater constituencies will inevitably decrease the degree of proportionality in the composition of the Dáil, giving a bonus to parties that reach a certain percentage threshold in the 30s. Given the far-reaching societal changes that have taken place since our Constitution was envisioned by de Valera in the 1930s, is it now time for a shake-up of our electoral system to better serve the needs of our less monolithic, more pluralistic Republic in the 21st century? If the answer is yes, I offer an alternative: mixed-member proportional representation.

Mixed-member proportional representation can take many forms but on a basic level, it gives everyone two votes; one to vote for their local member of parliament in a single-member constituency and one to order the political parties in order of their preference on the basis of their policy platforms. This, to me, would be the perfect solution for Ireland. It protects the electorate’s cherished relationship with their local TD while also clearing the way for a cadre of politicians focused solely on the national legislative agenda, thus giving voters the freedom to use their vote in one way for local matters and another way for national policy. It would also ensure minority voices are heard on a national level. For example, a farmers’ party which might gain 5 per cent support across the country but have no hope of getting a seat in our current system could have a chance of doing so now.

For the sake of simplicity, let’s say under this system we limit the number of TDs to 200, with 100 going to single-member constituencies voted by proportional representation and the other 100 to the party preference list. On these numbers, each local TD would represent roughly 50,000 people. This would be up from the current upper limit of 30,000. Under the current system, however, a TD in a five-seater such as Longford-Westmeath represents just over 140,000 people. The local TD in a mixed-member system would therefore have greater accountability to all their voters rather than carving out a niche for themselves within a larger constituency. Additionally, in theory, political parties would also be much more accountable to the electorate for their policy promises as their support at subsequent elections would be judged on this record and less so on local matters or individual personalities. Mixed-member proportional representation is already well-established in countries such as Germany, New Zealand, and in elections for the Scottish parliament. Maybe it is time we considered it and, dare I say it, call a referendum. – Yours, etc,

DAVID TRAYNOR,

Jackson Heights,

New York.

A chara, – Roger Flack (Letters, August 31st) argues that as communication methods have improved since 1937, there is a case for having fewer representatives per head of population than when the Constitution was drafted.

But this works in both directions. Just as TDs can respond more quickly to an email than a posted letter, the ease and means by which constituents can contact their representatives has improved significantly. The volume of emails, calls, voice messages, and social media messages TDs receive daily must be significantly greater than in the 20th century.

Technology is a reason to increase, rather than to reduce, our levels of representation. –

Is mise,

WILLIAM QUILL,

Dublin 8.

Sir, – In the last general election Dublin Central had a quota of 6,288 as opposed to 12,909 in Donegal. Votes per seat were 7,860 compared to 15,490 and registered voters per seat 15,500 compared to 25,180. This gives the citizen’s vote in Donegal about half of the value of the citizen’s vote in Dublin Central. Even when we take the less extreme regional numbers, a rough calculation shows that the rest of the country would have needed 22 extra TDs to have equality of representation with Dublin. All this in spite of a nominally equal distribution of seats based on population.

This is likely to be the case in the next general election since the Electoral Commission was not asked to look at this issue and it is not even a matter for discussion among either our political leaders or the national media. If we believe in equal representation of all citizens, then there is a clear and urgent need for reform. – Yours, etc,

LIAM MULLIGAN,

Letterkenny,

Co Donegal.

Sir, – Remembering the fiasco with the Oireachtas printing machine, I wonder if someone from the Office of Public Works, in possession of a measuring tape, has been around the Dáil chamber to ensure that our new cohort of 174 TDs will fit in? – Yours, etc,

PJ MALONEY,

Cloneyheigue,

Co Westmeath.