A chara - The Green Party and Sinn Féin argue that the move to more three-seat constituencies and away from five-seat constituencies will disadvantage them and smaller parties and independents. Mark Brennock (Irish Times, January 8th) endorses this analysis.
In the current Dáil, there are a total of 70 seats in 14 five-seat constituencies. After the last election, nine are held by Sinn Féin, the Greens or "others". There are 48 seats filled from four-seat constituencies; nine are filled by the smaller parties. There are also 48 seats filled from three-seaters, seven filled by the smaller parties.
Proportionately this means that Sinn Féin, the Greens and others took 12.9 per cent of seats available in five-seaters, 16.7 per cent of seats available in four-seaters and 14.6 per cent in three-seaters.
These parties actually fared best in four-seat constituencies and least well in the larger five seaters. - Is mise,
MALCOLM BYRNE,
Ramsfort Avenue,
Gorey,
Co Wexford.