The commission charged with re-drawing constituency lines in advance of the next general election have been asked to consider bring all of County Clare into the county’s constituency.
Almost 6,000 voters in County Clare voted for Limerick City TDs in February’s general election, and local residents and public representatives are among those who say this situation should change
The Constituency Commission has published almost 500 submissions on it’s website, following this week’s deadline for people to have their voices heard.
Among those who has done so is Anne-Marie Moroney, who says she lives right inside the county boundary and wants the Commission to change the situation whereby 5708 voters in the Ballyglass electoral division, which includes communities like Parteen, Athlunkard and Kilquane, cast their votes in Limerick
Limerick TD Patrick O’Donovan agrees – the Fine Gael representative calls on the Commission to follow county boundaries when re-drawing constituencies in Clare, Limerick and Kerry – but his party colleague and Limerick City TD Kieran O’Donnell calls for no change, as parts of Ballyglass are within walking distance of Limerick City centre, and that the situation has been in place for many years.
Professors at Mary Immaculate College and the University of Limerick also says the Clare voters should remain in situ.
The Commission is tasked with re-drawing electoral boundaries and reducing the size of the next Dáil by at least 8 TDs, and will report to government June.
Clare is expected to keep it’s four Dáil representatives.
