List system for TDs is a denial of democracy

THE plan by the Fine Gael leadership for some of our TDs to be elected to the Dáil by a list system is profoundly undemocratic.

List systems take the decision as to who is elected to parliament out of the hands of the voter and make it the sole preserve of political parties. Our system of electing Dáil members by proportional representation through the single transferable vote in multi-seat constituencies is the most democratic.

It gives the voter the ultimate say in who sits in the Dáil. Any other system, including that proposed by Fine Gael, would give the voter less say.