Constituencies Commission

[Murt]

Even if the current high court actions fail, Dublin West is due an extra TD based on its population in the census according to the guidelines laid down in the Constitution.

Dick Roche referred the census report to the Constituencies Commission on 27 Apr 2007 requesting them to come back within 6 months with revised constituency boundaries.

If the Commission recommends an extra seat for Dublin West will there be a by election?

Some TDs are going to leave the new Dail (one way or another). Will it be legal or possible to hold a by election for the filling of these newly vacated seats without holding a by election in an area that the Constituencies Commission has already said is underrepresented.

Wouldn't it be really amusing if the first vacancy that occurred was in one of the constituencies that is now overrepresented.

[Agrona]

If a by-election occurs within the lifetime of a dail it will be for the constituency as during that dail. As in Meath in the last Dail.