asked the Minister for the Environment if he will state, in relation to each county council and borough council, the ratio or estimated ratio of population to each elected local authority representative.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Local Representatives Population Ratio.
The reply is in the form of a tabular statement which, with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to circulate with the Official Report.
Statement showing for each county, county borough and borough council the number of members, the population and the population per member.
Local Authority |
Number of members |
Population (Census of Population 1971) |
Population per member |
County Councils |
|||
Carlow |
21 |
34,237 |
1,630 |
Cavan |
25 |
52,618 |
2,105 |
Clare |
31 |
75,008 |
2,420 |
Cork |
46 |
224,238 |
4,875 |
Donegal |
28 |
108,344 |
3,869 |
Dublin |
25 |
*284,353 |
11,374 |
Galway |
31 |
149,223 |
4,814 |
Kerry |
26 |
112,772 |
4,337 |
Kildare |
21 |
71,977 |
3,427 |
Kilkenny |
26 |
61,473 |
2,364 |
Laoighis |
25 |
45,259 |
1,810 |
Leitrim |
22 |
28,360 |
1,289 |
Limerick |
27 |
83,289 |
3,085 |
Longford |
21 |
28,250 |
1,345 |
Louth |
26 |
74,951 |
2,883 |
Mayo |
31 |
109,525 |
3,533 |
Meath |
29 |
71,729 |
2,473 |
Monaghan |
20 |
46,242 |
2,312 |
Offlay |
21 |
51,829 |
2,468 |
Roscommon |
26 |
53,519 |
2,058 |
Sligo |
24 |
50,275 |
2,095 |
Tipperary N.R. |
21 |
54,337 |
2,587 |
Tipperay S.R. |
26 |
69,228 |
2,663 |
Waterford |
23 |
45,347 |
1,972 |
Westmeath |
23 |
53,570 |
2,329 |
Wexford |
21 |
86,351 |
4,112 |
Wicklow |
21 |
66,295 |
3,157 |
TOTALS |
687 |
2,192,608 |
3,192 |
* Includes Dun Laoghaire. |
|||
County Borough Councils |
|||
Cork |
31 |
128,645 |
4,150 |
Dublin |
45 |
567,866 |
12,619 |
Limerick |
17 |
57,161 |
3,362 |
Waterford |
15 |
31,968 |
2,131 |
TOTALS |
108 |
785,640 |
7,275 |
Borough Councils |
|||
Clonmel |
12 |
11,622 |
969 |
Drogheda |
12 |
19,762 |
1,647 |
Dún Laoghaire |
15 |
53,171 |
3,545 |
Galway |
12 |
27,726 |
2,311 |
Kilkenny |
12 |
9,838 |
820 |
Sligo |
12 |
14,080 |
1,173 |
Wexford |
12 |
11,849 |
987 |
TOTALS |
87 |
148,048 |
1,702 |
May I ask the Minister whether he considers the situation in Dublin, where local representatives represent more electors than a Teachta Dála, represents a gravely disproportionate situation and is in need of remedial action before the next local government elections?
I agree with the Deputy.
Will the Minister be taking such action before the elections?
Yes.