asked the Taoiseach if he can give an assurance that it is not the intention of the Government to introduce legislation to alter or abolish the present proportional representation system of election to Dáil Eireann.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Proportional Representation.
It is not the intention of the Government to introduce legislation to alter or abolish the existing proportional representation system of election to Dáil Eireann. The Government has not considered the question.
The Deputy is, I expect, aware that, in view of the fact that the present system of proportional representation is laid down in Article 16.2 of the Constitution, it cannot be altered or abolished by legislation alone and that under the terms of Article 46.2 of the Constitution any such proposal would require to be submitted by referendum to the decision of the people.
Might I ask whether, in view of the fact that this proportional representation system cannot be altered except by amendment of the Constitution, it would be desirable for members of the Government to abstain from threatening revolution if the system is not altered?
No member of the Government threatened revolution. That is another one of these things that are being bandied about.
"Recently" should be added.
Recently, or at any time.
Might I point out that in a report——
The Deputy may ask questions.
If you want revolutions, we know where they began.
My information has been derived from a statement which appeared in the papers and was made by the Taoiseach at a meeting of the Fianna Fáil Ard-Fheis in which he said that in sheer desperation people might change the system by a real revolution as had happened elsewhere.
If the Deputy would read the whole of what I said he would not be picking out scraps and parts and putting his own interpretation on them.
You will find that he did not mean that or anything else.
There is some sense in what I mean, not like Deputy Dillon.