Electoral reform - Dáil should follow this wise advice

DEMOCRACY is undermined by two terrible twins: apathy and hostility. Right now there are far too many reasons for this disengagement and anything that might challenge it should be welcomed.

The Oireachtas Joint Committee on the Constitution published a report on electoral reform yesterday and made 29 suggestions on how we might improve the process of electing our public representatives, ultimately and hopefully, creating a more easily admired, respected representative and effective political system.

The committee, however, did point out that “changing the electoral system should not be regarded as the panacea that will guarantee desired improvements to the functioning of the democratic process and that other aspects of the democratic institutional architecture would also benefit from reform”.