Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 26 January 2023
228. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the status of the Dáil Éireann constituency review following the most recent census; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3841/23]
View answerThe Electoral Reform Act 2022 ('the Act') provides for, among other matters, the establishment of the Electoral Commission - which will be titled An Coimisiún Toghcháin. In addition, the Act provides for the review of Dáil and European Parliament constituencies to be undertaken by the new Coimisiún following its establishment.
Under the provisions of the Act, the Report of an Coimisiún Toghcháin on the review of Dáil and European Parliament constituencies will be published within three months of the publication of final Census results. This mirrors previous arrangements whereby a Constituency Commission was required to complete its work within three months of the publication of final Census results. While the publication of final Census results is a matter for the Central Statistics Office, final results are anticipated for publication in Spring 2023.This would indicate that a final report from the Electoral Commission on Dáil and European Parliament constituencies would be expected in Summer 2023. The final determination of the constituencies for Dáil Éireann will be a matter for the Oireachtas to prescribe in legislation.
The establishment of An Coimisiún is anticipated shortly and it will carry out its Dáil and European Parliament constituency review work once it has been established.
