Ratio of TDs among highest in Europe

IRELAND has one TD per every 27,500 people — at least four times the ration than in most of our European neighbours.

The Government has abandoned plans to cut the number of TDs by at least 20, which would require a referendum, and instead announced plans to set up a constituency commission.

This will decide whether to reduce the number of Dáil seats from the current rate of 166 to between 160 and 153: the minimum allowed for under the current wording of the Constitution.