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.

Proposals to move away from our current method of electing TDs come from a patronising view of the voters ... that they are not wise enough to choose their representatives. List systems are premised on the idea that political party “selectorates” are better placed to choose who should be in the Dáil than the electorate.

However, when the Welsh voters’ view of their elected assembly representatives was surveyed by an electoral commission, it was found that while constituency and list members have equal rights, there remains a perception that list seats are consolation prizes for parties that failed to win constituency seats.

The beauty of our electoral system is that if voters are unhappy with their TDs and/or parties, they deal with them at the ballot box. Whether you call them clients, constituents or voters, it is they who ultimately should decide who represents them in the Dáil.

Joanna Tuffy TD

Dáil Éireann

Kildare Street

Dublin 2