- Parliamentary constituencies in the Republic of Ireland
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The lower house of the Oireachtas (Irish parliament), Dáil Éireann, contains 166 Teachtaí Dála (TDs), representing 43 parliamentary constituencies throughout the Republic of Ireland. Depending on its size, each constituency must have at least 3 members and a maximum of five members. The most recent (Census 2006)[1] ratio indicates that there is one TD for every 25,512 people. Elections are held using the single transferable vote form of proportional representation.
Contents
Current constituencies
Dáil Éireann constituencies for the 2011 general election.
For the 2011 general election Teachtaí Dála were elected for the following constituencies:
Constituency Seats Carlow–Kilkenny 5 Cavan–Monaghan 5 Clare 4 Cork East 4 Cork North–Central 4 Cork North–West 3 Cork South–Central 5 Cork South–West 3 Donegal North–East 3 Donegal South–West 3 Dublin Central 4 Dublin Mid–West 4 Dublin North 4 Dublin North–Central 3 Dublin North–East 3 Dublin North–West 3 Dublin South 5 Dublin South–Central 5 Dublin South–East 4 Dublin South–West 4 Dublin West 4 Dún Laoghaire 4 Galway East 4 Galway West 5 Kerry North–West Limerick 3 Kerry South 3 Kildare North 4 Kildare South 3 Laois–Offaly 5 Limerick 3 Limerick City 4 Longford–Westmeath 4 Louth 5 Mayo 5 Meath East 3 Meath West 3 Roscommon–South Leitrim 3 Sligo–North Leitrim 3 Tipperary North 3 Tipperary South 3 Waterford 4 Wexford 5 Wicklow 5 2011 general election
The 2007 report of the Constituency Commission,[2] an independent body established by the Government of Ireland to review constituency boundaries, proposed several changes to Dáil constituencies. These changes were provided for by the Electoral (Amendment) Act 2009. In July 2011 the Irish government established a commission to review to the current Dáil and European constituencies.[3]
This table summarises the changes in representation. It does not address revisions to the boundaries of constituencies.
Constituency Created Seats Change Dublin West 1981 4 plus 1 seat Dún Laoghaire 1977 4 minus 1 seat Kerry North 1937 3 abolished Kerry North–West Limerick 2011 3 new constituency Limerick 2011 3 new constituency Limerick City 2011 4 new constituency Limerick East 1948 5 abolished Limerick West 1948 3 abolished Louth 1923 5 plus 1 seat There were further boundary changes to 18 constituencies, these were: Cork East, Cork North–Central, Cork North–West, Donegal North–East, Donegal South–West, Dublin North, Dublin North–Central, Dublin North–East, Dublin South, Kerry South, Kildare North, Kildare South, Laois–Offaly, Meath East, Meath West, Roscommon–South Leitrim, Sligo–North Leitrim and Tipperary North.
Historic changes
Main article: List of historic Dáil Éireann constituencies2007 general election
Dáil Éireann constituencies for the 2007 general election.Main article: Irish general election, 2007In 2004 the report of the Constituency Commission,[4] proposed major changes to Dáil constituencies. Five new constituencies were created under the Electoral (Amendment) Act 2005:
- Longford–Westmeath (4)
- Meath East (3)
- Meath West (3)
- Roscommon–South Leitrim (3)
- Sligo–North Leitrim (3)
These replaced the four existing constituencies of Longford–Roscommon, Meath, Sligo–Leitrim and Westmeath. These new changes resulted in the creation of a 43rd constituency and the removal of the provincial boundary breach between Leinster and Connacht.
The number of seats was reduced in two constituencies:
- Cork North–Central (from 5 to 4)
- Dublin North–Central (from 4 to 3)
Two three-seater constituencies gained an extra seat:
- Dublin Mid–West (from 3 to 4)
- Kildare North (from 3 to 4)
There were further smaller boundary changes to eleven constituencies outside Dublin, these were: Clare, Cork North–West, Cork South–Central, Cork South–West, Donegal North–East, Donegal South–West, Kerry North, Kerry South, Kildare South, Limerick East and Limerick West.
Boundaries for ten of the twelve Dublin constituencies were also revised apart from Dublin South–East and Dún Laoghaire.
2002 general election
Main article: Irish general election, 2002- Dublin North–East, Dublin North–West and Dublin West were reduced from 4 to 3 seats
- Dublin South–Central was increased from 4 to 5 seats.
- Dublin South–West was reduced from 5 to 4 seats
- Dublin Mid West was a new 3-seater
1997 general election
Main article: Irish general election, 1997- Mayo East (3) and Mayo West (3) were replaced by Mayo (5)
- Kildare (5) was replaced by Kildare North (3) and Kildare South (3)
- Galway East was increased from 3 to 4 seats
- Tipperary South was reduced from 4 to 3 seats
1992 general election
Main article: Irish general election, 1992- Longford–Westmeath (4) and Roscommon (3) were replaced with Westmeath (3) and Longford–Roscommon (4)
- Dublin North was increased from 3 to 4 seats
- Dublin Central was reduced from 5 to 4 seats
- Dublin South–West was increased from 4 to 5 seats
- Dublin South–Central was reduced from 5 to 4 seats
- Dublin West was reduced from 5 to 4 seats
- Wicklow was increased from 4 to 5 seats
External links
References
- ^ "2006 Preliminary Report, Table 3 – Persons in each constituency". Central Statistics Office. 1 July 2006. http://www.cso.ie/census/documents/2006_prelim_table03.pdf.
- ^ "Report on Dáil and European Parliament Constituencies 2007". Constituency Commission. 23 October 2007. http://www.constituency-commission.ie/docs%5Ccon2007.pdf. Retrieved 14 June 2008.
- ^ http://www.publicaffairsireland.com/news/802-commission-established-to-review-dail-and-european-constituencies
- ^ "Report on Dáil Constituencies, 2004". Constituency Commission. 2004. http://www.constituency-commission.ie/docs%5Ccon2004.pdf.
Categories:- Politics of the Republic of Ireland
- Parliamentary constituencies in the Republic of Ireland
- Parliamentary constituencies in the Republic of Ireland (historic)
- Dáil Éireann constituencies in the Republic of Ireland
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