It emerged last July, when the preliminary census figures were published, that Dublin West had exceeded the population-to-TD ratio laid down in the constitution.

It is now joined by Dublin North which, according to the final census figures, currently has 30,077 people per TD. The final figures also show that 11 Dail constituencies are clearly in breach of Article 16.2.3 of the constitution that requires every constituency to have, within reason, the same ratio of TDs to population.

The figures show that in next month's general election, Dublin North, with a population of 120,309, will return four TDs, while four other constituencies with a smaller population . . . CavanMonaghan, Dublin South, Limerick East and Dun Laoghaire . . . will elect five.

And the population of 92,800 in Dublin West will return three TDs compared to the four deputies that Cork North-Central, with a population of 91,368, will elect.

The government decided last autumn . . . following advice from the AG . . . that it could not change the constituencies on the basis of the preliminary census figures.

However, this was questioned by some legal experts who noted that the constitution does not distinguish between final and preliminary figures.