SLIGO LEITRIM: A new (four) two county constituency which looks set to give Leitrim back a TD at least. Inclusion of bits of Donegal and Cavan mean there will be strong geographical trend in the transfers. Look out for recrimination in Fine Gael if the three candidate strategy backfires.
EPIC BATTLE: Labour’s Alan Kelly using every available opportunity to get into the press no matter what the consequences to the national Labour campaign. The bitterest of Fianna Fáil bloodbaths for the one seat available to the party. Michael Lowry to top the poll of the whole county.
Cork South Central Current TDs Jerry Buttimer TD (Fine Gael), Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney TD (Fine Gael), Micheál Martin TD (Fianna Fáil), Michael McGrath TD (Fianna Fáil), Ciaran Lynch TD (Labour) Total seats in 2016 General Election: 4 The population of this constituency has been reduced by just over 17,000 with parts of Bishopstown, Glasheen, the Mardyde and the city centre being moved into the neighbouring North Central constituency. The major impact of this has been the reduction in seats …
Wicklow Current TDs Stephen Donnelly TD (Social Democrats), Anne Ferris TD (Labour), Billy Timmins TD (Renua), Minister of State, Simon Harris TD (Fine Gael), Andrew Doyle (Fine Gael) Total seats in 2016 General Election: 5 This constituency remains unchanged by the most recent review and consists of the county of Wicklow and a couple of thousand people from east Carlow around the villages of Hackettstown and Rathvilly. Main Areas: Bray – population 31,872 Greystones – population 17,468 Arklow – population 13,009 …
Dublin North-West Current TDs Roisin Shortall, Social Democrats (elected as Labour Party) John Lyons TD, Labour Dessie Ellis TD, Sinn Féin Total seats in 2016 General Election: 3 The boundary review added about 11,500 people to this constituency from Drumcondra and areas near the Botanic Gardens that were formerly in Dublin Central. Main Areas: Drumconrda, Finglas, Ballymun, Whitehall, Glasnevin, Santry Candidates: Dessie Ellis TD, Sinn Féin Cllr. Cathleen Carney Boud, Sinn Féin Ms. Caroline Conroy, Green Party Mr. Jimmy …
Laois Current TDs (The following were the Laois representatives elected in the Laois – Offaly constituency in 2011): Minister for Foreign Affairs, Charlie Flanagan TD (Fine Gael), Sean Fleming TD (Fianna Fáil) Brian Stanley TD (Sinn Féin) Total seats in 2016 General Election: 3 Main areas: Portlaoise – population 20,145 Portarlington – population 7,788 Mountmellick – population 4,735 Monasterevin (Co. Kildare) – population 3,710 Abbeyleix – population 1,827 Mountrath – population 1,661 The constituency redraw has divided the old five seat …
Dublin Bay South Current TDs (Dublin South East) Ruairi Quinn TD (Labour Party), Lucinda Creighton TD, (Renua – elected as Fine Gael), Eoghan Murphy TD (Fine Gael), Kevin Humphreys TD (Labour Party) The constituency review renamed the old Dublin South East to the much more salubrious sounding Dublin Bay South. An additional population of about 12,500 from around Terenure has been moved into this constituency. Total seats in 2016 General Election: 4 Main Areas: Terenure, Ranelagh, Rathmines, Ballsbridge, Ringsend Candidates: …
Meath West Current TDs Minister for State, Damien English TD (Fine Gael), Ray Butler TD (Fine Gael), Peadar Tóibín TD (Sinn Féin) Total seats in 2016 General Election: 3 Main Areas: Navan – population 28,559 Trim – population 8,268 Enfield – population 2,929 Athboy – population 2,397 Oldcastle – population 1,384 Candidates: Minister for State, Damien English TD, Fine Gael (Navan area) Ray Butler TD, Fine Gael (Trim area) Peadar Tóibín TD, Sinn Féin (Navan area) Tracy McElhinney, Labour (Trim area) …
Donegal Current TDs Donegal South West Pearse Doherty TD (Sinn Féin), Dinny McGinley TD (Fine Gael), Thomas Pringle TD (Independent) Donegal North East Pádraig Mac Lochlainn TD (Sinn Féin), Charlie Mc Conalogue TD, (Fianna Fáil), Joe Mc Hugh TD (Fine Gael) Total seats in 2016 General Election: 5 Donegal is a new 5 seat constituency which has been created by the amalgamation of two former three seat constituencies. Additionally, almost 9,000 people from south of the county have been unceremoniously dumped …
Limerick County Current TDs Patrick O’Donovan TD (Fine Gael), Niall Collins TD (Fianna Fáil), Dan Neville TD (Fine Gael) Total seats in 2016 General Election: 3 Main Areas: Newcastle West, population – 6,327 Abbeyfeale, population – 2,007 Kilmallock, population – 1,635 Rathkeale, population – 1,550 Askeaton, population – 1,149 Adare, population – 1,106 The recent constituency redraw has returned over 13,000 people from around Abbeyfeale in the west of the county who had been exiled to the North Kerry constituency in …
Louth Current TDs Fergus O’Dowd TD (Fine Gael), Peter Fitzpatrick TD (Fine Gael), Gerry Adams TD (Sinn Féin), Minister of State Ged Nash TD (Labour), Seamus Kirk TD (Fianna Fáil)* * Was automatically returned in 2011 as the outgoing Ceann Comhairle Total seats in 2016 General Election: 5 Main Towns: Drogheda – population 38,578 Dundalk – population 37,816 Ardee – population, 4,927 Candidates of interest: Fergus O’Dowd TD, Fine Gael (Drogheda) Cllr. Imelda Munster, Sinn Féin (Drogheda) Ms. Emma Coffey, …
Limerick City Current TDs Minister Jan O’Sullivan (Labour), Minister Michael Noonan (Fine Gael), Kieran O’Donnell (Fine Gael), Willie O’Dea (Fianna Fáil) Total seats in 2016 General Election: 4 Main Areas: Limerick City West Electoral Area (7 seats) includes Dooradoyle, Ballinacurra, Clarina Limerick City North Electoral Area (6 seats) includes Moyross, Monaleen, Farranshone & The island Limerick City East Electoral Area (8 Seats) includes City Centre, Castleconnell, Castletroy, Monaleen & Annacotty Part of the Cappamore-Kilmallock Electoral Area (3 seat equivalent) includes Doon, …
MAYO Current TDs An Taoiseach, Enda Kenny TD (Fine Gael), Minister of State Michael Ring TD (Fine Gael), Michelle Mulherin TD (Fine Gael), Dara Calleary TD (Fianna Fáil), John O’Mahoney TD (Fine Gael)* *Ballinrobe and its surrounding area in South Mayo, with a population of 10,306, is transferring to the Galway West constituency. Fine Gael’s John O’Mahony has decided to follow these vote into a different constituency. Total seats in 2016 General Election: 4 (Reduced by one) Main Towns: Castlebar – …
HARD ROAD: Candidates who get into the frame on the first count generally hang in to take the seats. Fianna Fail’s Mary Hanafin will hope that this rule of thumb holds, but unless her party’s fortunes improve during the course of the campaign she may play the role of hare for the Labour and Fine Gael candidates coursing behind her.
MUST WIN: Leader Micheál Martin has invested a lot of personal energy into the promotion of Margaret Murphy O’Mahony. She’s geographically well placed and the party generally has enough support for one seat. If they don’t succeed here it will be a dark day for Martin’s leadership.
EYES DOWN FOR: Sparks between Fine Gael and Labour in Dublin Central. A dark horse at odds of 8/1 or so Cieran Perry may be of interest to political punters looking for a value long odds bet. Will Fine Gael’s most vulnerable Minister will find his chance of ever becoming a FG leader eliminated on the last count?
#GE16 PROFILE: For many years Wexford has been considered one of the country’s most stable constituencies. This cosy set up was blown apart in 2011 by Mick Wallace, the larger than life socialist developer originally from South Wexford, who announced his candidacy less than four weeks from the election day.
