asked the Minister for Local Government if he will state (a) the estimated number of electors who will be entitled to vote for candidates for Dáil Éireann in the Dublin County constituency after 15th April, 1954; (b) the estimated quota on the basis of the present three seats if 80 per cent. of the electors cast a vote, and (c) if, in view of the large increase in the population of the constituency due to housing development, he will introduce proposals for legislation to increase the number of representatives to accord with the terms of the Constitution regarding parliamentary representation.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Dublin County Constituency.
I am not in a position to give an estimate of the number of electors who will be entitled to vote for candidates for Dáil Éireann in the Dublin County constituency after the 15th April, 1954. The second part of the question does not, therefore, arise. It is not proposed during the present session of the Dáil to introduce legislation to revise Dáil constituencies.
How can it be that the Minister for Local Government cannot provide an estimate of the number of electors entitled to vote in the Dublin County constituency after April 16th, seeing that the voters list, which is the uncorrected proof of the register, has been in the hands of the public for the past six months?
It has not.
Well, for a protracted period.
It is not printed yet.
No one need get hot about it. How can the Minister for Local Government find himself unable to give an estimate of the number of voters entitled to vote in the Dublin County constituency in a fortnight's time? Surely that is daft.
The answer is surely why should he.
That is another question. I understood the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs, speaking on behalf of the Minister for Local Government, to say that he was unable to give an estimate. The Minister for Finance says: "Why the hell should he?" The answer is because he is getting £2,500 a year just to do that— and divil the much else he is fit to do.