'Preliminary figures will not prompt constituency changes'

17/07/2006 - 13:22:02
Minister for the Environment Dick Roche has ruled out setting up a new boundary commission on the basis of the preliminary census results due out this week.

Experts predict that more than half of all constituencies will be under- or over-represented in the next Dáil due to changes in population uncovered by the recent census.

Mr Roche said today that he had no doubt the figures would show major changes in several parts of the country.

However, he said it was normal for the Government to wait until the final census results were published before beginning any reforms to constituency boundaries.