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Election Management System

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 16 February 2023

Thursday, 16 February 2023

Questions (231)

Ivana Bacik

Question:

231. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of TDs per head of population in 1922 and for every ten years to date, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7835/23]

View answer

Written answers

The table below sets out the membership of Dáil Éireann from 1923 and every 10 years thereafter and includes the number of TDs per head of population in each of those years by reference to the relevant Census. In addition, it should be noted that constituency reviews were specifically undertaken in the years 1923, 1935, 1947, 1961, 1969, 1974, 1980, 1983, 1990, 1995, 1998, 2005, 2009, 2013 and 2017 and that information in respect of each of these years is also included in the table below for completeness:

Year

Number of TDs

Act establishing the number of TDs

Population

Census

Number of TDs per head of population

1923

147

Electoral Act 1923

3,139,688

1911

21,358

1933

147

Electoral Act 1923

2,971,992

1926

20,218

1935

138

Electoral (Revision of Constituencies) Act 1935

2,971,992

1926

21,536

1943

138

Electoral (Revision of Constituencies) Act 1935

2,968,420

1936

21,510

1947

147

Electoral (Amendment) Act 1947

2,955,107

1946

20,103

1953

147

Electoral (Amendment) Act 1947

2,960,593

1951

20,140

1961

144

Electoral (Amendment) Act 1961

2,898,264

1956

20,127

1963

144

Electoral (Amendment) Act 1961

2,818,341

1961

19,572

1969

144

Electoral (Amendment) Act 1969

2,884,002

1966

20,028

1973

144

Electoral (Amendment) Act 1969

2,978,248

1971

20,682

1974

148

Electoral (Amendment) Act 1974

2,978,248

1971

20,123

1980

166

Electoral (Amendment) Act 1980

3,368,217

1979

20,290

1983

166

Electoral (Amendment) Act 1983

3,443,405

1981

20,743

1990

166

Electoral (Amendment) Act 1990

3,540,643

1986

21,329

1993

166

Electoral (Amendment) Act 1990

3,525,719

1991

21,239

1995

166

Electoral (Amendment) Act 1995

3,525,719

1991

21,239

1998

166

Electoral (Amendment) (No. 2) Act 1998

3,626,087

1996

21,844

2003

166

Electoral (Amendment) (No. 2) Act 1998

3,917,203

2002

23,598

2005

166

Electoral (Amendment) Act 2005

3,917,203

2002

23,598

2009

166

Electoral (Amendment) Act 2009

4,239,848

2006

25,541

2013

158

Electoral (Amendment) (Dáil Constituencies) Act 2013

4,588,252

2011

29,040

2017

160

Electoral (Amendment) (Dáil Constituencies) Act 2017

4,761,865

2016

29,762

It should also be noted that the number of TDs specified in the first two rows of the table above, in respect of the years 1923 and 1933 respectively, excludes 6 seats set aside for the two university constituencies of Dublin University (3 seats) and the National University of Ireland (3 seats).

The recently established electoral commission - An Coimisiún Toghcháin - is currently undertaking a review of Dáil and European Parliament constituencies in line with its functions under the Electoral Reform Act 2022. That Act provides that the Report of An Coimisiún in respect of Dáil and European Parliament constituencies will be completed and published within three months of the publication of final Census results. With the final Census results expected by the end of May, I expect that the report from An Coimisiún will be available by the end of August 2023.

The final determination of constituencies for Dáil Éireann following its next dissolution will be a matter for the Oireachtas to prescribe in legislation having regard to the recommendations of An Coimisiún.

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