This article is from page 3 of the 2006-07-18 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 3 JPG
EVEN though more people are putting their name forward to represent the Banner County in politics this week, it seems County Clare could still be under represented when it comes to fighting its cause in Dublin.
Figures to be released by the Central Statistics Office later this week are likely to show that Clare is under represented in the Dáil by as much as five per cent.
The data is also expected to show an increase in the population, especially in Ennis, Shannon, Sixmilebridge and Killaloe.
With the increase in population the ratio of TDs to Clare citizens is likely to significantly decrease.
According to the Irish constitution “the number of members of Dáil Éireann shall not be fixed at less than one member for each 30,000 of the population, or at more than one member for each 20,000 of the population”.
According to a report in the Sunday Tribune it has been stated by successive boundary commissions and endorsed by the Oireachtas that variances of more that five per cent for the national average of population per TD should only be permitted in exceptional circumstances. The variance in Clare has been estimated at five per cent.
It predicts that as many as 23 of the 43 Dáil constituencies will be in excess of the accepted variance.
Meanwhile, Galway East to the north of the Clare constituency is also outside the accepted five per cent maximum variance. Limerick West to the south of Clare is outside the highest ever limit of 7.89 per cent, but unlike Clare this constituency is over represented.
Without revision of the boundary or the number of TDs in any one area within the next few months, it will be 2012, if the next Government goes to full term, before any change is imposed to redress the imbalance.