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Constituency based voting system

  • 29-06-2013 11:35am
    #1
    eipi
    Registered Users Posts: 5 ✭


    Considering that Ireland is a country that is small both geographically and numerically (population wise), then, why is our voting system based on relatively small constituencies?

    Members of the dáil are elected to a national parliament and should therefore be serving national interests, not local ones. If this is the case then, why should votes be constricted to the constituency from which they originate? For example, I am from Cork, why should I not be allowed to vote for someone in Dublin to a national parliament? The fact that we are separated by a few hundred kilometres is irrelevant when I am voting for a national representative.

    I think that a national based electoral system such as this would be beneficial as it would reduce the effects of parish pump politics that undermines a national parliament's responsibility for national issues.


Comments

  • #2
    sarkozy
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,476 ✭✭✭sarkozy


    Practicalities of democratic accountability would suggest that geographic proximity to a national parliamentary representative promotes participation, i.e. the physically closer politicians are to their communities, the more and better they can engage.

    On the other hand, we definitely have an issue in this country with confusion over the role(s) of TDs versus County/City Councillors. TDs themselves, as shown by academic surveys, prove this confusion.

    Back to your point: I wouldn't see how you could possibly have a valuable opinion on issues faced Dubliners in the same way I wouldn't have a valuable opinion on the issues faced by Corkonians. Indeed, where this the case, I'd imagine that democratic legitimacy would be at risk as nobody would know whose interests a public representative is representing.

    But this goes to the essence of republican political theory.


  • #3
    Wildlife Actor
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 488 ✭✭Wildlife Actor


    Wouldn't merged/bigger constituencies meet both concerns? You can't go to every funeral in Connaught!


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