I move amendment No. 1:
I leathanach 7, i ndiaidh líne 33, na Codanna seo a leanas a chur isteach:—
"CUID III
3. 1º Bunóchar Coimisiún Dáil-cheanntar ó am go ham, uair amháin ar a laighead insan dá bhliadhain déag.
2º Mórsheisear comhaltaí a ceapfar ag Dáil Éireann a bheas i gCoimisiún Dáil-cheanntar: ceapfar comhalta amháin díobh (agus is é a bheas ina Chathaoirleach ar an gCoimisiún) as breitheamhnaibh na Cúirte Uachtaraighe agus na hÁrd-Chúirte ar n-a ainmniú ag an bPrímh-Bhreitheamh, ceapfar triúr as comhaltaíbh Dháil Éireann ar n-a n-ainmniú ag an Taoiseach agus ceapfar triúr as na comhaltaíbh sin de Dháil Éireann a cinntear do réir dlighidh a bheith i bhfreasabhra, ar n-a n-ainmniú mar foráiltear le dligheadh ag comhaltaíbh a cinntear amhlaidh a bheith i bhfreasabhra.
3º Tig le comhalta ar bith de Choimisiún Dáil-cheanntar éirghe as oifig trí n-a chur sin i n-iúil do Chathaoirleach Dháil Éireann.
4º Tig le Dáil Éireann, ar adhbharaibh is leor léi, comhalta ar bith de Choimisiún Dáil-cheanntar do chur as oifig.
5º Ceathrar is córam do Choimisiún Dáil-cheanntar, agus is dleaghthach do Choimisiún gníomhú d'aindeoin folamhantas ina gcomhaltas.
4. Chomh luath agus is féidir é tar éis Coimisiún Dáil-cheanntar do bhunú, rachaidh an Coimisiún i mbun na ndáil-cheanntar do chinneadh.
5. 1º Déanfaidh Coimisiún Dáil-cheanntar, taobh istigh de thrí mhí ó dháta a mbunuighthe, tuarascbháil do thairgsint do Chathaoirleach Dháil Éireann ina leagfar amach na dáil-cheanntair mar a bheid cinnte ag an gCoimisiún de chomhaontadh a gcomhaltaí uile nó le tromlach dá gcomhaltaíbh, ach más rud é ná tairgfear aon tuarascbháil amhlaidh, toisc nár éirigh leis na comhaltaíbh uile nó le tromlach de na comhaltaibh teacht ar chomhaontadh, déanfaidh Cathaoirleach an Choimisiúin, cheithre mhí ar a dhéidheanaighe tar éis dáta an Choimisiúin do bhunú, tuarascbháil do thairgsint do Chathaoirleach Dháil Éireann ina leagfar amach na dáil-cheanntair mar a bheid cinnte ag Cathaoirleach an Choimisiúin, agus glacfar gurb í tuarascbháil an Choimisiúin an tuarascbháil sin.
2º Ní foláir tuarascbháil an Choimisiúin do bheith fá láimh an Chathaoirligh nó fá láimh chomhalta eile a n-ordóchaidh an Coimisiún dó a lámh do chur léi, agus ní tairgfear aon tuarascbháil mhionluchta.
3º Beidh an Coimisiún ar n-a lán-scor láithreach d'éis tuarascbháil an Choimisiúin do thairgsint.
6. 1º Chomh luath agus is féidir é tar éis do Chathaoirleach Dháil Éireann tuarascbháil an Choimisiúin d'fhagháil, bhéarfaidh sé go leagfar í fá bhrághaid Dháil Éireann.
2º Más rud é go ndéanfaidh Dáil Éireann, taobh istigh de na cheithre lá dhéag is túisce a shuidhfeas Dáil Éireann tar éis an tuarascbháil do leagadh fá n-a brághaid, rún do rith le tromlach dhá dtrian ag leasú na tuarascbhála, beidh an tuarascbháil ar n-a leasú dá réir sin.
3º Láithreach d'éas an lae dheiridh de na cheithre lá dhéag is túisce a shuidhfeas Dáil Éireann tar éis tuarascbháil an Choimisiúin do leagadh fá n-a brághaid, is iad na dáil-cheanntair a bheas leagtha amach insan tuarascbháil, nó, i gcás Dáil Éireann do leasú na tuarascbhála, insan tuarascbháil ar n-a leasú amhlaidh, is dáil-cheanntair, ach ní thiocfaidh atharrú ar bith dá ndéanfar ar na dáil-cheanntraibh i bhfeidhm i rith ré na Dála a bheas ina suidhe i n-alt na huaire.
7. Fá chuimsiú foráiltí an Airteagail seo, féadfar socrú do dhéanaimh le dligheadh i dtaobh ní ar bith a bhaineas le Coimisiúin Dáil-cheanntar nó le dáil-cheanntraibh.
8. Go dtí an lá is túisce a lán-scoirfear Dáil Éireann tar éis an 15mhadh lá d'Aibreán, 1970, nó is túisce a lán-scoirfear í tar éis cibé dáta roimhe sin a cinnfear le rún ar n-a rith ag Dáil Éireann, is iad a bheas i gcomhaltas Dháil Éireann ná ionadóirí do na dáil-cheanntraibh a cinneadh leis an dligheadh a bhí i bhfeidhm an lmhadh lá d'Eanáir, 1968, agus is do réir an dlighidh sin a déanfar gach toghchán do chomhaltas Dháil Éireann, mar aon le líonadh corr-fholamhantas.
9. Fágfar an lár as gach teacs oifigeamhail den Bhunreacht na foráiltí sin romhainn den Airteagal so ó fho-airteagal 3 go dtí an foairteagal so go huile, má ritheann an pobal Bille dá ngairtear "Acht chun an Bunreacht do Leasú" agus a ndéantar An Bille um an gCeathrú Leasú ar an mBunreacht, 1968 a ghairm de.
CUID IV.
3. 1º A constituency Commission shall be established from time to time, but not less frequently than once in every twelve years.
2º A Constituency Commission shall consist of seven members appointed by Dáil Éireann, of whom one (who shall be the Chairman of the Commission) shall be appointed from the judges of the Supreme Court and High Court on the nomination of the Chief Justice, three shall be appointed from the members of Dáil Éireann on the nomination of the Taoiseach and three shall be appointed, from such members of Dáil Éireann as are determined in accordance with law to be in opposition, on nomination provided for by law by members so determined.
3º Any member of a Constituency Commission may resign from office by placing his resignation in the hands of the Chairman of Dáil Éireann.
4º Dáil Éireann may, for reasons which to it seem sufficient, terminate the appointment of any member of a Constituency Commission.
5º The quorum of a Constituency Commission shall be four, and a Commission may act notwithstanding vacancies in their membership.
4. As soon as may be after the establishment of a Constituency Commission, the Commission shall proceed to determine the constituencies.
5. 1º A Constituency Commission shall, within three months of their establishment, present to the Chairman of Dáil Éireann a report setting out the constituencies as determined by the Commission either with the unanimous agreement of their members or by a majority, but if, because of failure to secure unanimous agreement or agreement by a majority, no report is so presented, the Chairman of the Commission shall, not later than four months after the date of the establishment of the Commission, present to the Chairman of Dáil Éireann a report setting out the constituencies as determined by the Chairman of the Commission, and that report shall be taken as the report of the Commission.
2º The Commission's report shall be signed by the Chairman or other member so directed by the Commission, and no minority report shall be presented.
3º Immediately after the Commission's report has been presented, the Commission shall stand dissolved.
6. 1º As soon as may be after the receipt by him of the Commission's report, the Chairman of Dáil Éireann shall cause the report to be laid before Dáil Éireann.
2º If, within the next fourteen days on which Dáil Éireann has sat after the report is laid before it, a resolution amending the report is passed by a two-thirds majority by Dáil Éireann, the report shall be amended accordingly.
3º Immediately after the last of the next fourteen days on which Dáil Éireann has sat after the Commission's report is laid before it, the constituencies set out in the report, or, where the report has been amended by Dáil Éireann, in the report as so amended, shall become and be the constituencies, provided that any alteration in the constituencies shall not take effect during the life of Dáil Éireann then sitting.
7. Subject to the provisions of this Article, any matter whatsoever relating to Constituency Commissions or constituencies may be provided for by law.
8. Until the date of the dissolution of Dáil Éireann occurring next after the 15th day of April, 1970, or occurring next after such earlier date as may be determined by a resolution passed by Dáil Éireann. Dáil Éireann shall be composed of members who represent the constituencies determined by the law in force on the 1st day of January, 1968, and all elections for membership of Dáil Éireann, including the filling of casual vacancies, shall take place in accordance with that law.
9. The foregoing provisions of this Article from sub-article 3 to this sub-article inclusive shall be omitted from every official text of the Constitution if a Bill entitled "An Act to Amend the Constitution" and referred to as the Fourth Amendment of the Constitution Bill, 1968 is passed by the people.
I move:
1. In page 6, after line 33, to add the following new Parts:
"PART III.
3. 1º Bunóchar Coimisiún Dáil-cheanntar ó am go ham, uair amháin ar a laighead insan dá bhliadhain déag.
2º Mórsheisear comhaltaí a ceapfar ag Dáil Éireann a bheas i gCoimisiún Dáil-cheanntar: ceapfar comhalta amháin díobh (agus is é a bheas ina Chathaoirleach ar an gCoimisiún) as breitheamhnaibh na Cúirte Uachtaraighe agus na hÁrd-Chúirte ar n-a ainmniú ag an bPrímhBhreitheamh, ceapfar triúr as comhaltaíbh Dháil Éireann ar n-a n-ainmniú ag an Taoiseach agus ceapfar triúr as na comhaltaíbh sin de Dháil Éireann a cinntear do réir dlighidh a bheith i bhfreasabhra, ar n-a n-ainmniú mar foráiltear le dligheadh ag comhaltaíbh a cinntear amhlaidh a bheith i bhfreasabhra.
3º Tig le comhalta ar bith de Choimisiún Dáil-cheanntar éirghe as oifig trí n-a chur sin i n-iúil do Chathaoirleach Dháil Éireann.
4º Tig le Dáil Éireann, ar adhbharaibh is leor léi, comhalta ar bith de Choimisiún Dáil-cheanntar do chur as oifig.
5º Ceathrar is córam do Choimisiún Dáil-cheanntar, agus is dleaghthach do Choimisiún gníomhú d'aindeoin folamhantas ina gcomhaltas.
4. Chomh luath agus is féidir é tar éis Coimisiún Dáil-cheanntar do bhunú, rachaidh an Coimisiún i mbun na ndáil-cheanntar do chinneadh.
5. 1º Déanfaidh Coimisiún Dáil-cheanntar, taobh istigh de thrí mhí ó dháta a mbunuighthe, tuarascbháil do thairgsint do Chathaoirleach Dháil Éireann ina leagfar amach na dáil-cheanntair mar a bheid cinnte ag an gCoimisiún de chomhaontadh a gcomhaltaí uile nó le tromlach dá gcomhaltaíbh, ach más rud é ná tairgfear aon tuarascbháil amhlaidh, toisc nár éirigh leis na comhaltaíbh uile nó le tromlach de na comhaltaíbh teacht ar chomhaontadh, déanfaidh Cathaoirleach an Choimisiúin, cheithre mhí ar a dhéidheanaighe tar éis dáta an Choimisiúin do bhunú, tuarascbháil do thairgsint do Chathaoirleach Dháil Éireann ina leagfar amach na dáil-cheanntair mar a bheid cinnte ag Cathaoirleach an Choimisiúin, agus glacfar gurb í tuarascbháil an Choimisiúin an tuarascbháil sin.
2º Ní foláir tuarascbháil an Choimisiúin do bheith fá láimh an Chathaoirleach, nó fá láimh chomhalta eile a n-ordóchaidh an Coimisiún dó a lámh do chur léi, agus ní tairgfear aon tuarascbháil mhionluchta.
3º Beidh an Coimisiún ar n-a lanscor láithreach d'éis tuarascbháil an Choimisiúin do thairgsint.
6. 1º Chomh luath agus is féidir é tar éis do Chathaoirleach Dháil Éireann tuarascbháil an Choimisiúin d'fhagháil, bhéarfaidh sé go leagfar í fá bhrághaid Dháil Éireann.
2º Más rud é go ndéanfaidh Dáil Éireann, taobh istigh de na cheithre lá dhéag is túisce a shuidhfeas Dáil Éireann tar éis an tuarascbháil do leagadh fá n-a brághaid, rún do rith le tromlach dhá dtrian ag leasú na tuarascbhála, beidh an tuarascbháil ar n-a leasú dá réir sin.
3º Láithreach d'éis an lae dheiridh de na cheithre lá dhéag is túisce a shuidhfeas Dáil Éireann tar éis tuarascbháil an Choimisiúin do leagadh fá n-a brághaid, is iad na dáil-cheanntair a bheas leagtha amach insan tuarascbháil, nó, i gcás Dáil Éireann do leasú na tuarascbhála, insan tuarascbháil ar n-a leasú amhlaidh, is dáil-cheanntair, ach ní thiocfaidh atharrú ar bith dá ndéanfar ar na dáil-cheanntraibh i bhfeidhm i rith ré na Dála a bheas ina suidhe i n-alt na huaire.
7. Fá chuimsiú foráiltí an Airteagail seo, féadfar socrú do dhéanamh le dligheadh i dtaobh ní ar bith a bhaineas le Coimisiúin Dáil-cheanntar nóle dáil-cheanntraibh.
8. Go dtí an lá is túisce a lán-scoirfear Dáil Éireann tar éis an 15mhadh lá d'Aibreán, 1970, nó is túisce a lán-scoirfear í tar éis cibé dáta roimhe sin a cinnfear le rún ar n-a rith ag Dáil Éireann, is iad a bheas i gcomhaltas Dháil Éireann ná ionadóirí do na dáil-cheanntraibh a cinneadh leis an dligheadh a bhí i bhfeidhm an lmhadh lá d'Eanáir, 1968, agus is do réir an dlighidh sin a déanfar gach toghchán do chomhaltas Dháil Éireann, mar aon le líonadh corrfholamhantas.
9. Fágfar ar lár as gach teacs oifigeamhail den Bhunreacht na foráiltí sin romhainn den Airteagal so ó fho-airteagal 3 go dtí an foairteagal so go huile, má ritheann an pobal Bille dá ngairtear "Acht chun an Bunreacht do Leasú" agus a ndéantar An Bille um an gCeathrú Leasú ar an mBunreacht, 1968 a ghairm de.
PART IV.
3. 1º A Constituency Commission shall be established from time to time, but not less frequently than once in every twelve years.
2º A Constituency Commission shall consist of seven members appointed by Dáil Éireann, of whom one (who shall be the Chairman of the Commission) shall be appointed from the judges of the Supreme Court and High Court on the nomination of the Chief Justice, three shall be appointed from the members of Dáil Éireann on the nomination of the Taoiseach and three shall be appointed, from such members of Dáil Éireann as are determined in accordance with law to be in opposition, on nomination provided for by law by members so determined.
3º Any member of a Constituency Commission may resign from office by placing his resignation in the hands of the Chairman of Dáil Éireann.
4º Dáil Éireann may, for reasons which to it seem sufficient, terminate the appointment of any member of a Constituency Commission.
5º The quorum of a Constituency Commission shall be four, and a Commission may act notwithstanding vacancies in their membership.
4. As soon as may be after the establishment of a Constituency Commission, the Commission shall proceed to determine the constituencies.
5. 1º A Constituency Commission shall, within three months of their establishment, present to the Chairman of Dáil Éireann a report setting out the constituencies as determined by the Commission either with the unanimous agreement of their members or by a majority, but if, because of failure to secure unanimous agreement or agreement by a majority, no report is so presented, the Chairman of the Commission shall, not later than four months after the date of the establishment of the Commission, present to the Chairman of Dáil Éireann a report setting out the constituencies as determined by the Chairman of the Commission, and that report shall be taken as the report of the Commission.
2º The Commission's report shall be signed by the Chairman or other member so directed by the Commission, and no minority report shall be presented.
3º Immediately after the Commission's report has been presented, the Commission shall stand dissolved.
6. 1º As soon as may be after the receipt by him of the Commission's report, the Chairman of Dáil Éireann shall cause the report to be laid before Dáil Éireann.
2º If, within the next fourteen days on which Dáil Éireann has sat after the report is laid before it, a resolution amending the report is passed by a two-thirds majority by Dáil Éireann, the report shall be amended accordingly.
3º Immediately after the last of the next fourteen days on which Dáil Éireann has sat after the Commission's report is laid before it, the constituencies set out in the report, or, where the report has been amended by Dáil Éireann, in the report as so amended, shall become and be the constituencies, provided that any alteration in the constituencies shall not take effect during the life of Dáil Éireann then sitting.
7. Subject to the provisions of this Article, any matter whatsoever relating to Constituency Commissions or constituencies may be provided for by law.
8. Until the date of the dissolution of Dáil Éireann occurring next after the 15th day of April, 1970, or occurring next after such earlier date as may be determined by a resolution passed by Dáil Éireann. Dáil Éireann shall be composed of members who represent the constituencies determined by the law in force on the 1st day of January, 1968, and all elections for membership of Dáil Éireann, including the filling of casual vacancies, shall take place in accordance with that law.
9. The foregoing provisions of this Article from sub-article 3 to this sub-article inclusive shall be omitted from every official text of the Constitution if a Bill entitled "An Act to Amend the Constitution" and referred to as the Fourth Amendment of the Constitution Bill, 1968 is passed by the people.
The purpose of the amendment is to put into the Third Amendment of the Constitution Bill, 1968, which is the Bill which permits deviation from the national average of population when considering constituencies, provisions to enable a Constituency Commission to be established in the event that the Fourth Amendment of the Constitution Bill, 1968, is not passed.
In this amendment we are providing that a Constituency Commission shall be established from time to time, but not less frequently than once in every 12-year period, comprised of a judge of the Supreme Court to be nominated by the Chief Justice, three Members of the Dáil to be nominated by the Taoiseach and three Members of the Dáil to be nominated by law. It makes further provision as to the manner in which the Commission will go about their functions, the compilation of their report, the eventual laying of it before Dáil Éireann and the giving of power to Dáil Éireann to amend the report within a stated period.
In the latter part, in Article 9, it is stated that the foregoing provisions of the Article, from sub-Article 3, shall be omitted from every official text of the Constitution, if the Fourth Amendment of the Constitution Bill, 1968 is passed. The Minister has been talking about being fair to the public and being clear. While we may forecast what the will of the population is, we want to anticipate a decision now by deciding that we will have a Commission in another Bill, but that we will not put the provision in another Bill if the population should choose to pass one Bill and not the other.
If it is right and proper to have a Commission, and if the Government believe it is right and proper to have a Commission to draw constituency boundaries if both Bills are passed, it is equally correct and indeed necessary, or not less necessary, to have a Commission if the Fourth Amendment of the Constitution Bill, the PR Bill, is rejected and the Third Amendment of the Constitution Bill is passed. It is worthy of note that the Committee which reported on the Constitution, an all-Party Committee, held the view that there should be a Commission appointed to delimit constituency boundaries; and though the Minister may make great play of the fact that the idea of a Commission was opposed on the last occasion, it is correct to say that every line and provision of the Third Amendment of the Constitution Bill, 1959, was opposed and that every line and provision of the Third Amendment of the Constitution Bill, 1968, and of the Fourth Amendment of the Constitution Bill, 1968, are also being opposed.
However, in view of the large discretion now being provided in the Third Amendment of the Constitution Bill, and the wide variation, which the Minister chooses to call tolerance, being provided for, it is highly necessary that the work of drawing up constituency boundaries, with this new mechanism and this greater degree of flexibility and greater power for gerrymandering of constituencies, should be done by a Commission which will consist of a judge of the Supreme Court nominated by the Chief Justice, and six Members of Parliament, with the ultimate power resting in Dáil Éireann to determine finally what the constituency boundaries shall be.
The amendment now before the House is substantially the same as the provisions in the Fourth Amendment of the Constitution Bill in relation to the Commission. Because one does not want to clutter up the Constitution with unnecessary material, the device adopted in section 52 of the transitory provisions of the 1937 Constitution is being incorporated here so that in the event of the Fourth Amendment being passed there will not be two Commissions doing exactly the same work and reproduced twice in the official texts of the Constitution afterwards.