Greens call for smaller Dáil and regional parliaments

CUT the number of TDs to 130 but create regional parliaments, the Green Party said yesterday.

Putting forward its comprehensive suggestions on reform of the political system, the Greens also proposed the President’s term of office be reduced to five years and that the President give an annual ‘State of the Nation’ address to the Dáil and Seanad.

Proposing to reduce the number of TDs from 166 to 130, Green Party finance spokesman Dan Boyle said that 30 of these TDs should be elected from a ‘top-up’ national panel by parties with more than 2% of the vote.