Electoral Act, 1997
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Function of Constituency Commission. |
6.—(1) It shall be the function of a Constituency Commission to make a report in relation to the constituencies for— | |
(a) the election of members to the Dáil, and | ||
(b) the election of representatives to the European Parliament. | ||
(2) In preparing a report under subsection (1) (a) a Constituency Commission shall, in observing the relevant provisions of the Constitution in relation to Dáil constituencies, have regard to the following: | ||
(a) the total number of members of the Dáil, subject to Article 16.2.2° of the Constitution, shall be not less than 164 and not more than 168; | ||
(b) each constituency shall return three, four or five members; | ||
(c) the breaching of county boundaries shall be avoided as far as practicable; | ||
(d) each constituency shall be composed of contiguous areas; | ||
(e) there shall be regard to geographic considerations including significant physical features and the extent of and the density of population in each constituency; and | ||
(f) subject to the provisions of this section, the Commission shall endeavour to maintain continuity in relation to the arrangement of constituencies. | ||
(3) In preparing a report under subsection (1) (b) a Commission shall have regard to the following: | ||
(a) the total number of representatives to be elected in the State to the European Parliament shall be 15 or such other number as may be specified for the time being pursuant to the treaties governing the European Communities; | ||
(b) there shall be reasonable equality of representation as between constituencies; and | ||
(c) the matters specified in paragraphs (b) to (f) of subsection (2). | ||
(4) The reference in subsection (2) (c) to county boundaries shall be deemed not to include a reference to the boundary of a county borough or any boundary between any two of the administrative counties standing established by virtue of Part II of the Local Government (Dublin) Act, 1993 . |