Recommendations from the Constituency Commission on boundary changes for next year's European Parliament elections have caused little surprise and are seen as conservative.
Enlargement of the European Union has had a knock-on effect in reducing Ireland's representation in parliament from 15 to 13 elected members and the new boundaries provide for that situation. The old constituencies of Leinster and Munster will each lose a seat under these proposals, with the county of Clare being added to Connacht/Ulster. The Commission has recommended the new European constituencies should be known as Dublin, East, South and North-West.
Although the powers and influence of the European Parliament have grown significantly over the years, Irish voters - and the major political parties - have tended to underestimate its importance in a developing European Union. Only 44 per cent of voters turned out to elect members of the European Parliament in 1994. In order to increase the level of political and public involvement, it was decided to hold the European and the local authority elections together in 1999. Turnout rose to 50 per cent. Fianna Fáil increased its share of the vote by almost four points, to 39 per cent, but in a sensational development it lost a seat in Connacht/Ulster to Independent candidate, Mrs Dana Rosemary Scallon. Sinn Féin put in a strong showing and three of its four candidates went on to win Dáil seats in the following general election. The Green Party confounded its critics by retaining its two seats while Fine Gael and the Labour Party made no gains.
Now that the Commission has reported and the shape of the new constituencies is known, competition within the various political parties for nominations is expected to intensify.
Mr Pat Cox, president of the European Parliament and a Munster MEP, took the third seat there on the last occasion. For him to secure re-election in the renamed constituency of South, Fianna Fáil or Fine Gael must lose a seat. Similar pressures will apply in the old Leinster (East) constituency, where Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Green Party will attempt to maintain their profiles. In Connacht/Ulster (North-West) Fianna Fáil will seek to regain the seat it lost in 1999.
The outcome of these contests, along with the performance of Fianna Fáil in the local elections, may set the tone for the remaining years of the Coalition Government. Whatever about that, it is vital that Irish members in the new European Parliament are people of vision and ability, capable of forging political alliances and representing our interests in an increasingly complex world.