On the mismatch between Southern and Assemby constituency sizes I believe the Assembly would be reduced to about 68 if the Northern Constituencies were rationalised giving a potential all-ireland council of 234.

This could be done with 4 MLA's per constituency instead of the current six and a reduction of the number of constituencies to 17 which is also fairer to the GB electorate as we're currently over-represented in Westminster.

The proposed legislation to reform local government in the North removes the double mandate (the right to serve on councils and at Stormont) as Stormont will administer local government spending so potential conflict of intersted needs to be removed. This will put pressure on the number of MLA's anyway.

Having watched the pathetic economics debate at Stormont last week removing 40 of the more useless ones and sending them back to councils would do no harm.

Here's a thought. If Stormont elections and Westminster elctions were sychronized we could use the STV voting system for Stormont as an alternative voting system for Westminster which would encourage moderation throughout as Westminster hopefuls would need to attract the second and third preferences of their competitors' supporters.
jaffa | 05.24.06 - 10:02 am | #

Cont/d

The most popular of the four MLA's would go through as the single member for the constituency at Westminster as well as serving at Stormont as an MLA. They would need to win 51% of the vote through STV rather than the current situation where they just need to be the least unpopular.
jaffa | 05.24.06 - 10:06 am | #

Contd Part 2

There are currently 60 members of Seanad Eireann. The relevant proportion for the North would be 25. There are 713 peers in the now reduced Lords of which proportionately 20 or so might be Northern Irish.

To extend the TD thing how about an all-Ireland senate to include Irish born British peers?
jaffa | 05.24.06 - 1:29 pm | #

Nice one UI, looking forward to hearing David Norris: a great character.
JG | Homepage | 05.24.06 - 1:36 pm | #

How could one take seriously any politician who regards Gerry Adams as "capable"
JTC | 05.24.06 - 5:14 pm | #

How could one take seriously any politician who regards Gerry Adams as "capable"

Well, it's word-association. We didn't get to read what he thinks Gerry Adams is capable of...
Ciarán | Homepage | 05.24.06 - 5:32 pm | #