asked the Minister for Local Government (a) the national average of population per Deputy in accordance with the 1966 census, (b) the national average of voters per Deputy in accordance with the current register, and (c) the percentage deviation from the national average which the High Court indicated would be acceptable.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Electoral Statistics.
The national average population per Deputy in accordance with the 1966 Census is 20,028.
The national average electorate per Deputy in accordance with the current register of electors is 11,899.
It would appear from the High Court judgment in question that a maximum divergence above or below the national average population per Deputy of about 1,000 in any constituency would be permissible. Expressed as a percentage of the present national average, this would result in a maximum divergence of about five per cent above and five per cent below the average. The corresponding divergence from the national average of voters per Deputy would be 595.
Does that mean a tolerance of ten per cent altogether, five each side?
Five per cent below and five per cent above.
Fair enough: that is 10 per cent.
Five per cent.
It is not necessarily ten per cent.
It is 9.99999.
It depends whether you take the percentage in the higher figure or the lower figure.
The lower.
It is not ten per cent, the way Fine Gael do it anyway.
29.
asked the Minister for Local Government what information there is in his Department as to what divergence from the principle of one man one vote occurs from basing Dáil representation strictly on population.
Since the ratio of electors to population in constituencies varies substantially, strict adherence to population would inevitably mean that the value of each vote would vary substantially and would in general have a lower value in rural areas. The maximum difference in value is estimated at approximately 33 per cent.
30.
asked the Minister for Local Government if he will state in respect of each existing Dáil constituency (a) the population in accordance with the 1966 census, (b) the number of voters on the current register, (c) the population per Deputy, (d) the number of voters per Deputy, (e) voters as a percentage of population, (f) the number and percentage by which the population per Deputy exceeds or falls short of the national average, and (g) the number and percentage by which the voters per Deputy exceed or fall short of the national average.
As the reply includes a tabular statement, I propose, with your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, to have it circulated with the Official Report.
It will be clear from these figures that, if Dáil seats are distributed on the basis of equality of population per Deputy as provided by the Constitution at present, it will require 33 per cent more voters to elect a Deputy in South-West Donegal than in North-West Dublin, that there will be serious disparities in the effect of votes in many other areas, and that in some cases, where the population per Deputy is substantially below the national average, the number of voters per Deputy is above the national average.
Following is the statement:-
Constituency |
(a) |
(b) |
(c) |
(d) |
(e) |
(f) |
(g) |
||
Population (1966 Census) |
Number of Electors (1967/68 Register) |
Population per Deputy |
Electors per Deputy |
Electorate as % of population |
Population per Deputy exceeds (+) or falls short (-) of national average by |
Electorate per Deputy exceeds (+) or falls short (-) of national average by |
|||
Carlow-Kilkenny |
98,454 |
58,246 |
19,691 |
11,649 |
59.16 |
- 337 |
-1.68 |
- 250 |
-2.10 |
Cavan |
54,022 |
34,301 |
18,007 |
11,434 |
63.50 |
-2,021 |
-10.09 |
- 465 |
-3.91 |
Clare |
73,597 |
48,182 |
18,399 |
12,045 |
65.47 |
-1,629 |
-8.13 |
+146 |
+1.23 |
Cork Borough |
104,846 |
59,019 |
20,969 |
11,804 |
56.29 |
+ 941 |
+4.70 |
- 95 |
-.80 |
Mid Cork |
84,258 |
51,330 |
21,065 |
12,832 |
60.92 |
+1,037 |
+5.18 |
+933 |
+7.84 |
North-East Cork |
97,270 |
59,345 |
19,454 |
11,869 |
61.01 |
- 574 |
-2.87 |
- 30 |
-.25 |
South-West Cork |
53,329 |
34,683 |
17,776 |
11,561 |
65.04 |
-2,252 |
-11.24 |
- 338 |
-2.84 |
North-East Donegal |
55,649 |
34,781 |
18,550 |
11,594 |
62.50 |
-1,478 |
-7.38 |
- 305 |
-2.56 |
South-West Donegal |
52,900 |
35,837 |
17,633 |
11,946 |
67.74 |
-2,395 |
-11.96 |
+47 |
+ .39 |
Dublin North-Central |
66,842 |
38,557 |
16,711 |
9,639 |
57.68 |
-3,317 |
-16.56 |
-2,260 |
-19.00 |
Dublin North-East |
139,163 |
78,192 |
27,833 |
15,638 |
56.19 |
+7,805 |
+38.97 |
+3,739 |
+31.42 |
Dublin North-West |
81,841 |
41,705 |
27,280 |
13,902 |
50.96 |
+7,252 |
+36.21 |
+2,003 |
+16.83 |
Dublin South-Central |
90,687 |
53,295 |
18,137 |
10,659 |
58.77 |
-1,891 |
-9.44 |
-1,240 |
-10.42 |
Dublin South-East |
65,808 |
41,013 |
21,936 |
13,671 |
62.32 |
+1,908 |
+9.53 |
+1,772 |
+14.89 |
Dublin South-West |
100,221 |
58,097 |
20,044 |
11,619 |
57.97 |
+ 16 |
+0.08 |
- 280 |
-2.35 |
Dublin County |
145,903 |
74,600 |
29,181 |
14,920 |
51.13 |
+9,153 |
+45.70 |
+3,021 |
+25.09 |
Dún Laoighare and Rathdown |
104,582 |
61,322 |
26,146 |
15,330 |
58.64 |
+6,118 |
+30.55 |
+3,431 |
+28.83 |
East Galway |
89,836 |
53,725 |
17,967 |
10,745 |
59.80 |
-2,061 |
-10.29 |
-1,154 |
-9.70 |
West Galway |
58,504 |
33,875 |
19,501 |
11,292 |
57.90 |
- 527 |
-2.63 |
- 607 |
-5.10 |
North Kerry |
56,157 |
34,762 |
18,719 |
11,587 |
61.90 |
-1,309 |
-6.54 |
- 312 |
-2.62 |
South Kerry |
56,628 |
35,325 |
18,876 |
11,775 |
62.38 |
-1,152 |
-5.75 |
- 124 |
-1.04 |
Kildare |
79,998 |
46,021 |
20,000 |
11,505 |
57.53 |
- 28 |
-.14 |
- 394 |
-3.31 |
Laoighis-Offaly |
96,312 |
56,182 |
19,262 |
11,236 |
58.33 |
- 766 |
-3.83 |
- 663 |
-5.57 |
East Limerick |
83,022 |
46,493 |
20,756 |
11,623 |
56.00 |
+728 |
+3.63 |
- 276 |
-2.32 |
West Limerick |
54,335 |
32,958 |
18,112 |
10,986 |
60.66 |
-1,916 |
-9.57 |
- 913 |
-7.67 |
Longford-Westmeath |
74,788 |
44,325 |
18,697 |
11,081 |
59.27 |
-1,331 |
-6.65 |
- 818 |
-6.87 |
Louth |
61,926 |
37,327 |
20,642 |
12,442 |
60.28 |
+614 |
+3.07 |
+543 |
+4.56 |
North Mayo |
50,315 |
31,109 |
16,772 |
10,370 |
61.83 |
-3,256 |
-16.26 |
-1,529 |
-12.85 |
South Mayo |
67,798 |
41,857 |
16,950 |
10,464 |
61.74 |
-3,078 |
-15.37 |
-1,435 |
-12.06 |
Meath |
60,830 |
35,754 |
20,277 |
11,918 |
58.78 |
+249 |
+1.24 |
+19 |
+ .15 |
Monaghan |
53,325 |
32,777 |
17,775 |
10,926 |
61.47 |
-2,253 |
-11.25 |
- 973 |
-8.18 |
Roscommon |
67,605 |
43,511 |
16,901 |
10,878 |
64.36 |
-3,127 |
-15.61 |
-1,021 |
-8.58 |
Sligo-Leitrim |
67,892 |
42,863 |
16,973 |
10,716 |
63.13 |
-3,055 |
-15.25 |
-1,183 |
-9.94 |
North Tipperary |
56,440 |
34,295 |
18,813 |
11,432 |
60.76 |
-1,215 |
-6.07 |
- 467 |
-3.92 |
South Tipperary |
77,121 |
45,988 |
19,280 |
11,497 |
59.63 |
- 748 |
-3.73 |
- 402 |
-3.38 |
Waterford |
62,331 |
37,707 |
20,777 |
12,569 |
60.49 |
+749 |
+3.74 |
+670 |
+5.63 |
Wexford |
79,039 |
47,449 |
19,760 |
11,862 |
60.03 |
- 268 |
-1.34 |
- 37 |
-.31 |
Wicklow |
60,428 |
36,658 |
20,143 |
12,219 |
60.67 |
+115 |
+0.57 |
+320 |
+2.69 |
Total |
2,884,002 |
1,713,466 |
20,028 |
11,899 |
59.41 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
In North-West Donegal is it not because of the Ceann Comhairle?
It is not affected by the Ceann Comhairle. There is no such constituency as North-West Donegal.
South-West: I beg your pardon.
There is such a place as north-west Donegal.
31.
asked the Minister for Local Government if he will state in respect of each existing Dáil constituency (a) the maximum, (b) the minimum population which will enable the present number of Deputies to be retained in compliance with the decision of the High Court, (c) the number by which the population in accordance with the 1966 census exceeds the maximum for the present number of seats, and (d) the number by which the population in accordance with the 1966 census falls short of the minimum for the present number of seats.
As the reply is in the form of a tabular statement, I propose, with your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, to have it circulated with the Official Report.
Following is the statement:—
Population required to retain present number of seats |
Number by which the population-- |
|||
(a) |
(b) |
(c) |
(d) |
|
Constituency |
Maximum |
Minimum |
exceeds the maximum in Column (a) |
falls short of minimum in Column (b) |
Carlow-Kilkenny |
105,140 |
95,140 |
— |
— |
Cavan |
63,084 |
57,084 |
— |
3,062 |
Clare |
84,112 |
76,112 |
— |
2,515 |
Cork Borough |
105,140 |
95,140 |
— |
— |
Mid Cork |
84,112 |
76,112 |
146 |
— |
North-East Cork |
105,140 |
95,140 |
— |
— |
South-West Cork |
63,084 |
57,084 |
— |
3,755 |
North-East Donegal |
63,084 |
57,084 |
— |
1,435 |
South-West Donegal |
63,084 |
57,084 |
— |
4,184 |
Dublin North-Central |
84,112 |
76,112 |
— |
9,270 |
Dublin North-East |
105,140 |
95,140 |
34,023 |
— |
Dublin North-West |
63,084 |
57,084 |
18,757 |
— |
Dublin South-Central |
105,140 |
95,140 |
— |
4,453 |
Dublin South-East |
63,084 |
57,084 |
2,724 |
— |
Dublin South-West |
105,140 |
95,140 |
— |
— |
Dublin County |
105,140 |
95,140 |
40,763 |
— |
Dún Laoghaire and Rathdown |
84,112 |
76,112 |
20,470 |
— |
East Galway |
105,140 |
95,140 |
— |
5,304 |
West Galway |
63,084 |
57,084 |
— |
— |
North Kerry |
63,084 |
57,084 |
— |
927 |
South Kerry |
63,084 |
57,084 |
— |
456 |
Kildare |
84,112 |
76,112 |
— |
— |
Laoighis-Offaly |
105,140 |
95,140 |
— |
— |
East Limerick |
84,112 |
76,112 |
— |
— |
West Limerick |
63,084 |
57,084 |
— |
2,749 |
Longford-Westmeath |
84,112 |
76,112 |
— |
1,324 |
Louth |
63,084 |
57,084 |
— |
— |
North Mayo |
63,084 |
57,084 |
— |
6,769 |
South Mayo |
84,112 |
76,112 |
— |
8,314 |
Meath |
63,084 |
57,084 |
— |
— |
Monaghan |
63,084 |
57,084 |
— |
3,759 |
Roscommon |
84,112 |
76,112 |
— |
8,507 |
Sligo-Leitrim |
84,112 |
76,112 |
— |
8,220 |
North Tipperary |
63,084 |
57,084 |
— |
644 |
South Tipperary |
84,112 |
76,112 |
— |
— |
Waterford |
63,084 |
57,084 |
— |
— |
Wexford |
84,112 |
76,112 |
— |
— |
Wicklow |
63,084 |
57,084 |
— |
— |
NOTE: Population figures used are 1966 Census figures.
32.
asked the Minister for Local Government if he will indicate the constituencies in which portions of counties have been attached to other counties in order to comply with the High Court decision requiring the ratio of population per Deputy to be the same in each constituency; and if he will state in each case the numbers so transferred.
As the reply is in the form of a tabular statement, I propose, with your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, to have it circulated with the Official Report.
Following is the statement:—
Constituencies in which portions of counties attached to other counties |
Population (1956 Census) of portions of counties so attached |
Carlow-Kilkenny |
4,652 from County Wexford attached to Counties Carlow and Kilkenny. |
Kildare |
6,545 from County Meath attached to County Kildare. |
Kildare |
7,106 from County Westmeath attached to County Kildare. |
South Mayo |
2,931 from County Roscommon attached to part of County Mayo. (Balance of County Mayo in North Mayo Constituency). |
Monaghan |
7,751 from County Louth attached to County Monaghan |
Roscommon |
16,600 from County Leitrim attached to part of County Roscommon. (Balance of County Roscommon in South Mayo Constituency). |
Sligo-Leitrim |
20,456 from County Leitrim attached to County Sligo |
North Tipperary |
2,901 from Tipperary South Riding attached to Tipperary North Riding. |
South Tipperary |
11,878 from County Waterford attached to part of Tipperary South Riding. (Balance of Tipperary South Riding in North Tipperary Constituency.) |