Independent Senator Michael McDowell said “nobody can predict where the population is going to go after that” as he introduced a motion calling for the Government to initiate legislation for such a referendum to cap the maximum number of TDs. He acknowledged it had gone down to 160 and there was a “significant jump” in the last election from 160 to 174. Independent Gerard Craughwell said the system for calculating TDs was “designed for an Ireland that no longer exists”. He said population growth alone now dictates the expansion of the Dáil – not institutional need nor strategic planning but “simple arithmetic”. He said the Government’s consideration of the issue should be done “in the context of the broader national question” and a unity referendum.

Source: The Irish Times March 26, 2026 14:58 UTC