Number of TDs to be cut by no more than 13
At least six, and up to 13, fewer TDs will be elected to the next Dáil as the Government plans to cut lawmaker numbers and redraw electoral boundaries in light of today's initial Census results.
First results from the count of Ireland's population show an increase of over 340,000, making it impermissible under the Constitution to cut TD numbers to less than 153 from the current 166, despite Fine Gael election pledges to abolish 20 Dáil seats.
Publishing the Electoral Amendment Bill 2011, Environment Minister Phil Hogan today said the final number of TDs in the next Dáil would be between 153 and 160.
A new constituency commission will offer its recommended reductions to the Government within three months of the publication of final census results next year.
Fine Gael had in its election manifesto pledged to cut TD numbers by 20, however Minister Hogan said that was based on the 2006 census of population.
Today's census results show a population of 4.58 million, up more than 8% from 2006. As the Constitution provides that there should be one TD for between every 20,000 to 30,000 of the population, cutting Dáil numbers by 20 would require a referendum, which the Government says it is not proposing to hold.
"We are doing as much as we can within the constitutional parameters," Minister Hogan said.
The Government has also published legislation to ensure by-elections are held within six months - and to cut the spend on a presidential election campaign.
