Additional seat added to Longford/Westmeath constituency

The Houses of the Oireachtas are set to decide on recommendations that could see an increase in the number of TDs returned to the Dáil.

Longford/Westmeath is set to becomes a five-seat constituency following recommendations by the Electoral Commission in its Constituency Review published this morning.

An additional 19 electoral divisions have been moved into the Longford/Westmeath constituency from the Meath West constituency.

“It's determined by their terms of reference,” Longford solicitor Frank Gearty said of the changes. Frank is more familiar with the work of the Electoral Commission than most, having made submissions to the State body in the past.

The review suggests the creation of four new constituencies and an additional 14 Dáil seats.

The last boundary review took place in 2020, but the 8% increase in the Irish population since then has led the Electoral Commission to make recommendation for a significant number of changes to political representation in the country.

Overall, the Commission recommended that the next Dáil should see 174 TDs representing 43 Dáil Constituencies, up from the current 160 TDs in 39 Constituencies.

“It looks like they have done a brilliant job,” Frank told the Leader, “It's great that Longford/Westmeath has been retained as a single constituency. The big challenge now is for the people of Longford to elect two TDs, that aught to be possible with our population. It will be up to people of Longford and the calibre of the candidates. ”

The Commission stated the Longford-Westmeath constituency's population justifies the allocation of an additional seat to make it a five seat constituency.

The constituency is now made up of the entire counties of Longford and Westmeath for the first time since 1980.

The constituency now includes an additional 19 electoral divisions in the north east of Westmeath. This area around Castlepollard brings in an additional 9,481 residents in the redrawn Longford/Westmeath.

Frank says this puts an onus on Longford voters to support their own to ensure local representation: “It does weigh it more strongly in favour of Westmeath. That's counterbalanced by the fact there are five seats. Therefore it's up to Longford to do its job right and get two TDs in. If it's not approached properly it could be a one to four split.”

The change may have an impact on an existing anomaly in the current representation. The constituency's largest population centre, Athlone, has no TD, while Mullingar has three resident sitting in the Dáil.

“Athlone have to look at that,” Frank said, “It's extraordinary they have no representation, but surely they will have one of the five TDs returned, it will be very interesting to see how it goes.”

The largest number of changes make by the Commission were made in the country's capital. There are four extra seats in the Dublin area, with several changes to electoral divisions.

Frank says on balance the changes are very positive: “There are many well considered decisions. The changes to Leitrim, Cavan/Monaghan and Roscommon, return electoral division in counties back inside county bounds. There are a lot of very good things, but this is in the face of significant challenges.

“The scale of the constituencies in Dublin is frightening. There are now 49 seats in Dublin. Then you look at Laois, who have only three seats and Kerry with only five. The inter county constituency of Wicklow/Wexford, flanked on either side by the Wicklow and Wexford constituencies is a bit like a jigsaw puzzle,” he observed.

Overall just seven of the 39 constituencies remain untouched under the Commission’s Constituency Review 2023 Report. In concluding her report Ms Justice Marie Baker, Chairperson, An Coimisiún Toghch said: “I commend these recommendations for consideration by the Houses of the Oireachtas.”

The final determination of the constituencies for both Dáil Éireann and the European Parliament will in due course be decided by the Houses of the Oireachtas in legislation.