National: Number of TDs to increase significantly following review of Dáil constituencies and boundaries

THE NUMBER of TDS in Dáil Éireann is set to increase to 174 at the next general election, it has been confirmed.

An Coimisiún Toghcháin, Ireland’s Independent Electoral Commission, has published its recommendations to the Oireachtas on the make-up of Ireland’s electoral constituencies following a comprehensive review.

The recommendations in the 155-page report will have an impact across the country as there will be changes to almost all existing boundaries as well as the creation of several new constituencies - mainly on the east coast.

The report recommends that the next Dáil will see the number of TDs increase from 160 to 174 representing 43 Dáil constituencies, up from the current 39.

It is recommended that the number of three-seat constituencies will rise from 9 to 13 and that the number of four-seat constituencies will be reduced from 17 to 15. At the next general election, the number of five-seat constituencies will be 15
instead of 13.

If the recommendations are adopted, just Seven of the current Dáil constituencies will remain entirely unchanged since the last review (Clare, Cork South-West, Donegal, Dublin Central, Kerry, Limerick County and Waterford).

Read the full report here.

The Commission, which was tasked with carrying out a review following the publication of the Census results, was bound by the Constitutional requirement of one TD for every 20,000-30,000 people.

The Oireachtas had directed that the number of TDs should rise to between 171 and 181 from the current 160.

"Ireland’s population grew by the equivalent of an average of nearly 65,000 per annum between Census 2016 and Census 2022, or the equivalent of more than two TDs each year. In our consideration of the optimal number of seats, we came to the view that it was neither possible, nor appropriate, to attempt to predict where, and to what extent, the population will grow in the future. Thus, we formed the view that the number of TDs should have regard to present and not future factors, and the
recommended 174 TDs results in the best outcome for the most number of constituencies with regard to maintaining equality of representation and respecting county boundaries," stated Ms Justice Marie Baker, Chairperson of An Coimisiún Toghcháin.