Number of TDs to rise in line with population — Census
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The release of census figures will have impacts across all aspects of society, none more so than the political system.
With a constituency boundary redraw under way, the Electoral Commission will have to increase the number of TDs to a minimum of 172 TDs to be in line with the Constitution.
Under Article 16.2.2 of the Constitution, the total number of members of the Dáil Éireann cannot be fixed at less than one member per 30,000 of the population or at more than one member per 20,000 of the population.
Based on a population of 5,149,139, this would be 171.6 TDs in the next Dáil, up from 160 in the current crop.
The Oireachtas has asked the Electoral Commission to review the current arrangements and make a recommendation of between 171 and 181 TDs for the next election in order to "future-proof" the Dáil for at least the next two elections, but senior government figures have repeatedly ruled out any chance that the number of TDs would grow exponentially as the population rises.
This could necessitate a referendum to cap the number of TDs.
However, the redraw of boundaries will take place in the coming months.
A number of constituencies, especially in the east of the country, are already significantly higher over the 30,000 limit.
For example, in Dublin Rathdown, the number of people per TD is at almost 34,000, it is just above 34,100 in Fingal, and in Kildare North it is 33,589.
In Cork, four of the five constituencies could qualify for an extra seat, as the population has grown by more than 7%, or 38,000, since 2016.
The Government on Tuesday announced that Art O'Leary will be chief executive of the commission.
Mr O'Leary, who was appointed through the Public Appointments Service, spent seven years serving as secretary general to the President.