Constituency Commission
Encyclopedia
The Constituency Commission is an independent statutory body in Ireland
, whose remit is to make a report in relation to the constituencies for the election of members to Dáil Éireann
and of members to the European Parliament
from Ireland. It was established as part of the Electoral Act, 1997.
of the Supreme Court or of the High Court. The other members of the commission are the Clerk of the Dáil
, the Clerk of the Seanad
, the Ombudsman and the Secretary General of the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. The current members are:
The offices of the commission are in The Custom House
, Dublin.
, to have regard to the following:
The commission invites written submissions in relation to both Dáil and European Parliament
constituencies from the general public and from each member of the Dáil and Seanad, and the members of the European Parliament from Ireland, registered political parties and Returning Officer
s/County Registrars.
The commission presents its report to the Chairman of the Dáil (Ceann Comhairle
). The final determination of the constituencies for Dáil Éireann and the European Parliament is a matter for the Oireachtas
to prescribe in legislation, as the commission's role is advisory.
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
, whose remit is to make a report in relation to the constituencies for the election of members to Dáil Éireann
Dáil Éireann
Dáil Éireann is the lower house, but principal chamber, of the Oireachtas , which also includes the President of Ireland and Seanad Éireann . It is directly elected at least once in every five years under the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote...
and of members to the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
from Ireland. It was established as part of the Electoral Act, 1997.
Composition
The 1997 Act provides that the Chairman of the commission will be a JudgeJudge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
of the Supreme Court or of the High Court. The other members of the commission are the Clerk of the Dáil
Dáil Éireann
Dáil Éireann is the lower house, but principal chamber, of the Oireachtas , which also includes the President of Ireland and Seanad Éireann . It is directly elected at least once in every five years under the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote...
, the Clerk of the Seanad
Seanad Éireann
Seanad Éireann is the upper house of the Oireachtas , which also comprises the President of Ireland and Dáil Éireann . It is commonly called the Seanad or Senate and its members Senators or Seanadóirí . Unlike Dáil Éireann, it is not directly elected but consists of a mixture of members chosen by...
, the Ombudsman and the Secretary General of the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. The current members are:
- Iarfhlaith O'Neill – Chairman and current High Court Judge
- Geraldine Tallon – Secretary General of the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government
- Emily O'ReillyEmily O'ReillyEmily O'Reilly is an author and former journalist and broadcaster who became Ireland's first female Ombudsman in 2003, succeeding Kevin Murphy....
– Ombudsman - Kieran Coughlan – Clerk of the Dáil
- Deirdre Lane – Clerk of the Seanad
The offices of the commission are in The Custom House
The Custom House
The Custom House is a neoclassical 18th century building in Dublin, Ireland which houses the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government...
, Dublin.
Terms of reference
In relation to Dáil constituencies, the commission is required, in observing the relevant provisions of the Constitution of IrelandConstitution of Ireland
The Constitution of Ireland is the fundamental law of the Irish state. The constitution falls broadly within the liberal democratic tradition. It establishes an independent state based on a system of representative democracy and guarantees certain fundamental rights, along with a popularly elected...
, to have regard to the following:
- The total number of membersTeachta DálaA Teachta Dála , usually abbreviated as TD in English, is a member of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas . It is the equivalent of terms such as "Member of Parliament" or "deputy" used in other states. The official translation of the term is "Deputy to the Dáil", though a more literal...
of the Dáil, subject to Article 16.2.2 of the Constitution, shall be not less than 164 and not more than 168. - Each constituency shall return three, four or five members.
- The breaching of countyCounties of IrelandThe counties of Ireland are sub-national divisions used for the purposes of geographic demarcation and local government. Closely related to the county is the County corporate which covered towns or cities which were deemed to be important enough to be independent from their counties. A county...
boundaries shall be avoided as far as practicable. - Each constituency shall be composed of contiguous areas.
- There shall be regard to geographic considerations including significant physical features and the extent of and the density of population in each constituency.
- The commission shall endeavour to maintain continuity in relation to the arrangement of constituencies.
The commission invites written submissions in relation to both Dáil and European Parliament
constituencies from the general public and from each member of the Dáil and Seanad, and the members of the European Parliament from Ireland, registered political parties and Returning Officer
Returning Officer
In various parliamentary systems, a returning officer is responsible for overseeing elections in one or more constituencies.-Australia:In Australia a returning officer is an employee of the Australian Electoral Commission or a State Electoral Commission who heads the local divisional office...
s/County Registrars.
The commission presents its report to the Chairman of the Dáil (Ceann Comhairle
Ceann Comhairle
The Ceann Comhairle is the chairman of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas of Ireland. The person who holds the position is elected by members of the Dáil from among their number in the first session after each general election...
). The final determination of the constituencies for Dáil Éireann and the European Parliament is a matter for the Oireachtas
Oireachtas
The Oireachtas , sometimes referred to as Oireachtas Éireann, is the "national parliament" or legislature of Ireland. The Oireachtas consists of:*The President of Ireland*The two Houses of the Oireachtas :**Dáil Éireann...
to prescribe in legislation, as the commission's role is advisory.
See also
- Parliamentary constituencies in the Republic of IrelandParliamentary constituencies in the Republic of IrelandThe lower house of the Oireachtas , Dáil Éireann, contains 166 Teachtaí Dála , representing 43 parliamentary constituencies throughout the Republic of Ireland. Depending on its size, each constituency must have at least 3 members and a maximum of five members. The most recent ratio indicates that...
- European Parliament constituency – Ireland