Sir – Paschal Donohoe, the Minister for Public Expenditure, seems to imply that while our current administration functions, it certainly has room for improvement (“Increased TD count of 240 in next 30 years contingent on population expansion, business chamber discloses”, News, October 16th). This could present an ideal chance to transition from the present governmental structure, derived from the UK model, to a federal setup featuring elected governors and robust regional legislatures for each province, including Dublin.
Leinster (bar Dublin), Dublin, Munster, and Connacht/Ulster (with Northern Ireland excluded) roughly comprise populations of 1.4 million, 1.4 million, 1.3 million and 900,000, respectively. The inherent population scale validates the formation of regional parliaments, with the provinces conveniently providing natural constituent divisions for the structure.
To opt for the best approach, we could consult the structural setup of nations of similar size, for example, Austria. Though the country’s population, 9 million, nearly doubles ours, only 183 individuals form their National Council compared to the 166 TDs seated in the Dáil Éireann.
Austria deals with regional and local concerns, budgeting, developmental strategies, along with certain taxes, by transferring these to provincial parliaments, each featuring a democratically elected governor. This ensures evenly distributed regional progression and ensures that national representatives concentrate primarily on national policy instead of local issues. This strategic delegation starkly contrasts with our Taoiseach’s recent attempt to propose a Cabinet memo on how O’Connell Street in Dublin might see a makeover to boost the city’s vitality (News, October 15th).
Visualise the scenario – the directors of a multinational conglomerate debating on office lobby décor choices. Would the efficacy not be enhanced by entrusting these matters to a local governing body and governor?
Federalism, a flexible structure successfully implemented in various nations, should be taken into account as an alternative to repeatedly patching up our existing model. In addition, in the event of a unified Ireland, it would be more synergistic to implement a federal system throughout Ireland than to introduce a diluted confederal arrangement. We have arrived at a juncture in our evolution where choices need to be made about the management of the country in line with population growth. For those who are sceptical or uncertain about Federalism, one merely needs to glance towards Westminster and question, is this the direction we aspire to follow?
Yours faithfully,
Cathal Melinn,
Whitehall,
Dublin 9.