No case of boundary gerrymandering or manipulation
I had read the Department of the Environment, Community, and Local Government’s ‘Putting People First’ action programme for effective local government published the previous month with interest.
It seemed to me to make much sense in streamlining local government numbers while at the same time devolving specific functions and delegation of greater responsibility to local authorities. I did not make my views on the document known publicly.
I was then asked to serve by Environment Minister Phil Hogan, having earlier had a discussion with one of the officials in the department as to whether I would be willing to be a part of the committee. I was not asked for my views on ‘Putting People First’ or any other aspect of government policy.
The committee membership was announced on November 15, 2012, and we held our first meeting on December 4. I knew none of the other members of the committee before that first meeting.
The committee met on a pro bono basis from December 2012 up to May 2013, and the report was published on May 30. I will say nothing as to our deliberations except that the professionalism and dedication to the State shown by my colleagues was, in my view, exemplary.
Once the report was issued, inevitable criticism was aimed as to its decisions. I noted on some social media sites that criticism came from all political parties as to specific local electoral areas. Nevertheless I was satisfied that I and my colleagues had at all times acted in the public interest and I was fully confident in the work that we did.
At no stage, either when the terms of reference were announced or when the report was issued, was any mention made, as far as I am aware, by any political party or group in relation to those terms of reference as somehow constituting a gerrymander. Moreover, the local electoral areas were implemented by regulation on January 31 this year, again without any mention of a gerrymander or boundary manipulation.
When Micheál Martin made his remarks at the Fianna Fáil ard fheis on Friday night about gerrymandering and the manipulation of electoral boundaries I was somewhat taken aback.
Since the 1977 general election all boundary committees are comprised of independent members. Given that the whole point of a gerrymander is that it is a nakedly partisan political act, it is difficult to see how the terms of reference drawn up for the Local Electoral Area Boundary Committee could count as an act of gerrymandering or a manipulation of electoral boundaries when these boundaries would then be decided by an independent committee.
That is why I could not stay silent when Mr Martin made his comments regarding the terms of reference given to the committee, just two months out from the local elections.
If I thought the boundary committee was gerrymandered by its terms of reference then I simply would not have served on it in the first place. Moreover, no political pressure was in any way imposed on us as a committee and we drew the boundaries in as fair a manner as possible.
Finally, I agree with Mr Martin that there should be a permanent electoral commission.
In an age of cynicism about political parties, candidates, and institutions it would be a progressive development and the Government should take steps to establish it as soon as possible.
* Gary Murphy is Associate Professor of Politics at Dublin City University. He was a member of the Local Electoral Area Boundary Committee and is writing here in a personal capacity.
