Ms Justice Marie Baker

In a report published today, the body proposed an increase in the size of the Dáil — currently made up of 160 TDs from 39 constituencies — and no changes to European Parliament boundaries.

Ms Justice Marie Baker, who chairs An Coimisiún Toghcháin, said: “Our recommendation for 174 TDs across 43 constituencies is the product of detailed analysis of constitutional and statutory limits. It arrives at a solution which best fits the needs of the country as a whole, as our population expands.

“The commission is pleased to be in a position to recommend the removal of seven of the 10 existing breaches of county boundaries, reductions in the size of two existing breaches and to propose just three new county boundary breaches in the recommended constituency composition.”

She noted: “The EU institutions have been deliberating for several months about the overall European Parliament composition, but no final decision on an additional seat has yet been confirmed.

“In this situation we have had to recommend the status quo while we await confirmation on a likely additional MEP seat for Ireland.”

The Supreme Court judge concluded: “This constituency review is the first task of Ireland’s new electoral commission, An Coimisiún Toghcháin.

“At barely six months old, we are proud to deliver this significant democratic review of Ireland’s constituencies, the building blocks of our democracy, on time and in line with our statutory mandate.”