Sir, – Suzanne Lynch (Europe Letter, "MEP election must be scrutinised given dismal voting records", December 18th) suggests that the Irish system of electing members of the European Parliament incentivises an MEP to maintain a domestic profile during their tenure as an MEP and the recent low attendance rate of Irish MEPs brings into question the method by which we elect our MEPs.
A discussion on this is not only overdue but urgently needed in the context of the role of the European Parliament. In recent years there has been increasing debate at EU level as to how MEPs are elected across the European Union.
The European Parliament committee on constitutional affairs has previously proposed that 25 MEPs be elected by a single constituency formed of the whole territory of the European Union.
While the report has to date not been acted upon, it is surely time to give further consideration to the proposal.
Some proponents of change, most notably British MEP Andrew Duff (Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe), have clearly put the issue back on the agenda in recent weeks. Mr Duff has long proposed that while the majority of MEPs should continue to be elected as representatives of their respective member states, a minority of MEPs should be elected on an EU-wide basis.
There is clear merit in giving serious consideration to such a proposal. It would allow for a certain number of MEPs to concentrate on the legislative agenda of the parliament without the logistical requirements of attending to a local constituency. It would also allow citizens the opportunity to vote for a pan-European list of candidates or parties in addition to their existing constituency representatives.
Any discussion on electoral reform now has the merit of taking place in the early months of the current European Parliament mandate and any proposed changes would benefit from implementation well in advance of the next elections in 2019.
A discussion on the merits of such a proposal in Ireland is both necessary and overdue. – Yours, etc,
DECLAN J WALSH,
Lecturer in European
Union Law,
School of Law,
University College Cork.