Vol. 421 No. 8
5 Proinsias De Rossa asked the Taoiseach when it is expected that the data from the 1991 census will become available from the Central Statistics Office which is required to allow the establishment of an independent boundary commission to examine the Dáil constituencies; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The population figures required by a constituency commission are the final census figures at district electoral division level. The Central Statistics Office expect to have these data available from the 1991 census for the entire country before the end of 1992.
The census was carried out in April 1991 and the preliminary data was published in June 1991. Could the Minister give the reason for such a long delay? Why should there be an 18 month delay from the time of publication of the preliminary results? Surely that is not the usual amount of time taken. Given that the commitment in the review of the Programme for Government was for an independent commission to examine the constituencies, what is the reason for the delay?
There is an undertaking in the revised Programme for Government to establish a Dáil constituency commission and that will be done at the appropriate time. I am not aware that the 18 month delay before publication of the final figures is any longer than the time taken in the past. The figures have to be compiled as a result of the final population figures at district electoral division level. There have to be appropriate enumerations, summaries have to be gone through and there is also the listing of dwellings and the enumeration maps, which have to be checked throughly for consistency and completeness. We have to ensure that they are accurate which is the reason for the delay. I do not consider that the delay is in any way inordinate.
Could we expect the commission to be established by the end of the year?
I could not say that. An undertaking has been given and the Government will meet it and the commitments made in the programme.
Like the lottery grants?
In view of the Taoiseach's twice-repeated statement that there are two full years left in the life of this Dáil, will there be two revisions of the constituencies within its lifetime and had that ever happened before?
I am not going to go into speculation. I have made it clear that the Government will honour their commitment in this respect.
A Cheann Comhairle, may I raise a supplementary question?
I should say that this question was essentially statistical——
It is.
——and, strictly speaking, matters of policy should not arise.
My question does not concern a matter of policy. This is a statistical question that has so far alluded exclusively to Dáil constituencies. Could the Minister confirm that the final statistics will relate to European constituencies, which are also subject to review based on new population statistics?
I presume such a figure could be obtained by totting up the various constituencies.
Will Leinster become a four-seat constituency?
That is a matter of policy.
We shall now move to Question No. 6.
I have one further question. Does the Minister think it is essential to establish a commission to review the constituencies?
In 1989 when the review of the Programme for Government was being undertaken that was a specific commitment, so it is obvious that the Government felt at that time it was necessary to hold a review and that will be done.
Apart from the Programme for Government, is it not necessary to hold a review?
