Dáil constituencies

There are 39 multi-member constituencies, that elect 160 TDs (members of parliament), to Dáil Éireann, Ireland's house of representatives, by means of the single transferable vote, to a maximum term of five years.

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Electoral law

Article 16.2 of the Constitution of Ireland outlines the requirements for constituencies. The total number of TDs is to be no more than one TD representing twenty thousand and no less than one TD representing thirty thousand of the population, and the ratio should be the same in each constituency, as far as practicable, avoiding malapportionment. Constituencies are to be revised at least once in every twelve years in accordance with the census reports, which are compiled by the Central Statistics Office every five years; under the Electoral Act 1997, a Constituency Commission is to be established after each census.[1] The Commission is independent and is responsible for the redrawing of constituency boundaries.[2] Members of the five person commission must be a Judge of the Supreme Court, Court of Appeal or High Court as Chair, the Clerk of the Dáil, the Clerk of the Seanad, the Ombudsman, and the Secretary General of the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government. Any alterations in the constituencies do not take effect during the life of the Dáil sitting when a revision is made.

The electoral system for general elections is proportional representation by means of a single transferable vote (PR-STV). Similarly, PR-STV is used in European Parliament elections, while by-elections (where this is only one vacancy) and presidential elections use alternative vote. The constitution specifies that the minimum number of TDs returned for each constituency is three, but does not define the maximum number; however, electoral law specifies a maximum number of five TDs.[3]

Current constituencies
Dáil constituencies since 2017 and used in the 2020 election.

The 2017 report of the Constituency Commission,[4] proposed several changes to Dáil constituencies. These changes were provided for by the Electoral (Amendment) (Dáil Constituencies) Act 2017, and came into effect at the 2020 general election. The total number of TDs increased by two to 160, while the number of constituencies was reduced by one to 39, as well as minor boundary revisions.

Constituency Seats
Carlow–Kilkenny 5
Cavan–Monaghan 5
Clare 4
Cork East 4
Cork North-Central 4
Cork North-West 3
Cork South-Central 4
Cork South-West 3
Donegal 5
Dublin Bay North 5
Dublin Bay South 4
Dublin Central 4
Dublin Fingal 5
Dublin Mid-West 4
Dublin North-West 3
Dublin Rathdown 3
Dublin South-Central 4
Dublin South-West 5
Dublin West 4
Dún Laoghaire 4
Galway East 3
Galway West 5
Kerry 5
Kildare North 4
Kildare South 4
Laois–Offaly 5
Limerick City 4
Limerick County 3
Longford–Westmeath 4
Louth 5
Mayo 4
Meath East 3
Meath West 3
Roscommon–Galway 3
Sligo–Leitrim 4
Tipperary 5
Waterford 4
Wexford 5
Wicklow 5

Change in seats

This table summarises the changes in representation. It does not address revisions to the boundaries of constituencies.

Constituency Seats 2016 Seats 2020
Cavan–Monaghan 4 5
Dublin Central 3 4
Kildare South 3 4

Constituencies abolished
Constituency Seats Area now in
Laois 3 Laois–Offaly and Tipperary
Offaly 3 Laois–Offaly and Kildare South

New constituencies
Constituency Seats Area from
Laois–Offaly 5 Laois and Offaly
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See also

References
  1. "Electoral Act 1997". Irish Statute Book. Retrieved 3 March 2016.
  2. Consultation Paper on the Establishment of an Electoral Commission in Ireland, (2015), Department of Environment, Community, and Local Government
  3. Electoral (Amendment) Act 2001, Office of the Attorney General
  4. "Constituency Commission Report 2017" (PDF). Constituency Commission. 27 June 2017. Retrieved 29 January 2018.
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