Imbalance of power

THE two parties in power have a working majority of 59 Dáil seats over the combined 53 members of the opposition.

That means 58 TDs are surplus to requirements. To be efficient, the government needs only 54.

During the election campaign, some prominent politicians suggested reductions in the numbers of TDs.

It was a popular idea. We have a new ministry on a mission to rationalise the public service.

The Dáil could lead by example. They could share the pain by downsizing their lobby fodder.

A Dáil with 108 deputies could do the country as good a collective service as 166 of them have failed to do.

The reduction by 35% in the numbers would have a beneficial knock-on effect in financial savings.

We don’t need one-third of our deputies in the current Dáil.

Michael Mernagh

Carrigaline

Co Cork