Top-heavy Oireachtas must be scaled back

THE Oireachtas needs total reformation as we have 166 TDs representing approximately 4.2 million people, ie, one TD for every 25,000 citizens. Britain has 646 MPs for a population of about 60 million, ie, one MP for every 95,000 people. The Irish taxpayer incurs huge expense in salaries and overheads for so many TDs.

One deputy should be removed from each of our 43 constituencies, reducing the number to 123 and a ratio of approximately one to every 35,000 people.

In future, politicians must perform less constituency work and act more in the national interest. Our political system is in a time warp and public representatives are constrained by outdated rules and regulations. The Dáil and Senate (60 members is far too many) will have to be reformed radically to suit the governance needs of our small island in the 21st century.