Sir, – Dr Adrian Kavanagh of Maynooth University’s Department of Geography said, in relation to the country’s population rise, “that an increase in Dáil members from the current 160 to 176 or 178 would future proof against further growth” (“Census 2022 results lead to suggestion of new six-seat constituencies”, News, June 24th).
It could also be argued that the electorate would actually prefer to have a referendum on reducing the number of TDs, by for instance having one TD for every 35,000 to 40,000 people.
New Zealand, for example, with a population of 5,127,100, operates a unicameral legislature with 120 seats for a population close to that of Ireland’s preliminary census results. – Yours, etc,
JOE CAHILL,
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Wilton,
Cork.