Voters will elect a further 14 TDs for the next Dáil term, giving them the highest representation in Leinster House – a total of 174 TDs, reports The Mirror.
The additional cost to the taxpayer will be significant, TD salaries currently stand at €107,376, but when generous travel and expense allowances are added, the actual cost to the voter will be around €200,000 per TD.
This means expanding the electoral roll will cost around €3 million a year to clear the nest for 14 more national politicians.
Politically, there will be winners and losers, some defectors will win and gain or gain new voters as constituencies expand, while redistricting will result in some people losing because some of their votes are lost to other constituencies.
The number of constituencies was also increased to accommodate new politicians. There are now 43 constituencies, down from 39, each electing three to five senators.
The recommendations were made by the newly established Electoral Commission and this 2023 Electoral Review is its first official report, reports The Mirror.
Due to the growing population, we need to invite 14 new TDs to Leinster House.
The constitution says we must have one tank destroyer for every 20,000 to 30,000 men.
And with the population growing rapidly in recent years – 5.15 million according to the latest census – the rule says there must be more politicians.
If no new tank destroyers were added, the math would leave one tank destroyer for every 32,000 men, which would be unconstitutional.
Speaking at the launch of the new report, Electoral Commission chairperson, Justice Marie Baker, said: “Our recommendation for 174 TDs across 43 constituencies is the product of detailed analysis of constitutional and statutory limits. It arrives at a solution which best fits the needs of the country as a whole, as our population expands. The Commission is pleased to be in a position to recommend the removal of seven of the 10 existing breaches of county boundaries, reductions in the size of two existing breaches and to propose just three new county boundary breaches in the recommended constituency composition,” reports The Mirror.
“Thanks to all those hundreds of people, parties and organisations who shared their ideas and proposals with us. Each was considered in making our final recommendations. This Constituency Review is the first task of Ireland’s new Electoral Commission, An Coimisiún Toghcháin,” reports The Mirror.
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