We need fewer TDS, not more in power

WE are in the middle of the biggest cost-of-living crisis in decades and what does the Government want to do? Increase the number of TDS in the Dail.

Instead of postponing this week’s increases in carbon taxes, which none of us can afford, or doing something really proactive to help the hundreds of thousands of families and pensioners all over the country struggling to make ends meet, they decide what we need now are more politicians in Leinster House.

We currently have 160 TDS all earning a cool €100,000-a-year, which is more than enough for a country with a population of five million.

When you think the average wage in Ireland is €49,296 a year, my God it is great money if you can get it.

Not to mention the lucrative expenses and allowances.

As a good friend of mine said, why do we need any more when the current crowd spend most of their time fighting and arguing over nonsense and rarely act for the greater good or the national interest?

Under our constitution, we have to have a TD for every 20,000 to 30,000 of the population.

So when the population rises as it is expected to, to at least 5.1 million, post the recent Census, it means under the Electoral Act there will have to be a minimum of another nine to 19 Dail seats come the 2025 General Election.

The final number of TDS will be decided by the Electoral Commission and the relevant boundary changes in constituencies will be made depending on where the population increases are.

The areas to get new TDS are likely to be in Dublin, Louth, Meath, Kildare and possibly Cork City.

Last year, it cost €140million to run the Oireachtas, both the Dail and the Seanad.

This year, it will be €161million to run Leinster House, of which €16.8million is earmarked to pay the salaries of our current TDS.

I believe it is time to end all this nonsense and change the constitution.

We don’t need a parliamentary representative for every 20,000 to 30,000 of the population, it is absolutely ridiculous.

Britain has an MP for every 100,000 of the population, France, Germany and the Netherlands, has one for every 90,000, Spain has an MP for every 80,000 of the population so why is Ireland so special?

At the moment we have 3.3 TDS for every 100,000 people and it is the biggest joke ever.

What we need at the moment are parliamentarians who are legislators.

Not politicians who are social workers who spend half their time getting people social welfare entitlements, passports, medical cards, hospital appointments and

We don’t need a parliamentary representative for every 20,000 to 30,000

going to funerals. Whether you like it or not that is not their job.

The State has enough staff to help you get all these things yourself, you shouldn’t have to go to a TD and voters should know better. If I had my way, I would halve the number of TDS in the Dail and I believe we would be a better country for it.

But do you believe the politicians will have a referendum on the Constitution to change this election law?

Do turkeys vote for Christmas?

I can tell you now, because of these incoming electoral changes it is now going to be more difficult than ever to form a Government.

And I can’t see any specific party in this country getting an overall majority again for years to come.

More than likely there will be 10 new TDS in the next Oireachtas which means you will need 86 votes to have a majority in the Dail – five more than the current number 81.

The new majority will cause huge difficulties in forming future coalitions, because so many parties will have to get involved and it will be difficult to reach agreement on a programme for Government .

But the bottom line here is politics in Ireland is a great, wellpaid job if you can get elected,

never mind the pensions.