The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1912-01-13
REPRESENTATION IN
IRISH PARLIAMENT
Dublin Writer Would Have Member
ship of House Placed at 1856
for the Present.
Would Abolish University Repres-
entation to Prevent Abuse of
Plural Voting.
Suggests as Ideal Franchise Adult
Suffrage for Both Sexes With
Certain Restrictions.

Mr. w. G. Eallon of Dublin in an
article in the Glasgow Observer dis
cusscs interestingly the question of
representation in the coming Irish
House of Commons. He writes
our present representation in tho
English Commons numbers 103, OF
which two come from Dublin Uni
rcrsity. 1t is obvious, therefore. that
Increased representation must be ar
ranged. and provisions made for a
further increase later. In estimating
the direction in which increased rem
rcscntation should be made it. be-
comes obvious that the towns and
cities, on statistics of population, are
rather underrcprcsentcd. There are
three types Of Irish mentality, to wit
rural. urban and civic. Each of these
mental varieties will be of equal value
i'm the making of the now Ireland, and
il Is therefore matter of import-
ancc that the under represented sec
tions should be adequately handled.
But care must also be taken that the
Parliamentary representation OF the
more heavily populated rural areas
shall also be increased, thonph not to
the. same extent. .rtFs.
! Now; taking the counties first, 4,
| slight examination will convince The
ties OF Down and Derry should have.
an Increased representation OF one
each; (2) Leinstcr is entitled to two
more M. P.'s for North County Dub
lin (at present an immense conSlitl-
| cncy). and one for Co. Wexford; ca
| Munster may claim one each for the
Counties of Limerick, Clare and Cork
- especially the northern half of the
last named; and, finally. ca Con-
nauglt will not bc fully represented
| unless the County Mayo receives an
other M. r. These will add nine cx-
ira county members.
Population and Franchise.
AS for the towns. d population uf
|
10000 should be the qualification for
Parliamentary recognition. The Irish
cities are all undcr-reprcscntcd. (1l
! I'm Ulster. Belfast is entitled to ex-
trn members, making 10 in the new
| Parliament, while PortadoWn, Lisburn,
BHllymcnH and Lurgun should be
given one each. Derry City can also
make good her claim to another mem
Dublin should receive four additional
representatives, making eight in ali.
On the other hand, Rathmines and
Rathgnr NcombincD have qualified as
d double mcmbcred constituency, and
the population of the Pembroke town
ship will be justified in claiming sep
aratc representations The towns Of
Wexford, Drogheda and Dundak-the
latter now boasts of 10000 people
have also graduated as singlc-member
constituencies. CD In Munster, tho
ford are entitled to an increase of one
each. Clonme will also bring ii new
member into being A) The western
Province of Ireland is In possession Of
but two urban areas whose popula-
ton reaches 10000. OF these Galway
City will be sufficiently represented by
one NJ. p. as at present, and the town
, Of Sligo is entitled to the other.
This makes a total of 26 for the
towns and cities. which, along with
nine new county members, will add 35
to the Parliamentary roll. 1t would,
perhaps, be unwise to- add to the list
until after tho expiration of a term
, of years. In 1921, and subsequently
every ten years, a new Redistribution
bill ought to be introduced. BY that
tisrc several rural areas will be en-
titled to claim further representation,
and by that time also the towns of
Armagh. Athlone, Carlow. Carrick-
!, fergus, Colcraine, Tralee and Queens
, town will have qualified as single
menlbered boroughs. University rep
, resentation is d question in itself. If
it will be found necessary to leave
Dublin University in possession Of its
present Parliamentary status, theii