COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
MEETING OF TALLAGHT AREA COMMITTEE
Monday, February 24, 2025
MOTION NO. 1
MOTION: Councillor P. Holohan
"This Tallaght Area Committee urges the council to conduct a survey of the households that were removed from the Dublin South West electoral area to gather their feedback as to the move being positive or negative?"
REPORT:
Prior to the General Election in November 2024, South Dublin County Council wrote to all registered electors in the South Dublin administrative area that were affected by the constituency changes.
An Coimisiún Toghcháin, The Electoral Commission is responsible for conducting reviews of all Dail and European Parliament constituencies.
When conducting these reviews the Electoral Reform Act 2022 provides that the Commission shall have regard to the following;
- the total number of members of the Dáil, subject to Article 16.2.2° of the Constitution, shall be not less than 171 and not more than 181;
- each constituency shall return 3, 4 or 5 members;
- the breaching of county boundaries shall be avoided as far as practicable.
- The reference to county boundaries does not include a reference to the boundary of a city or any boundary between any 2 of the counties of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown, Fingal and South Dublin;
- each constituency shall be composed of contiguous areas;
- there shall be regard to geographic considerations including significant physical features and the extent of and the density of population in each constituency
- the Commission shall endeavour to maintain continuity in relation to the arrangement of constituencies.
After every census there is a review of the composition and boundaries of the Dáil constituencies. Our Constitution provides that there should be, on average, one TD to represent every 20,000-30,000 people.
The Constituency Review Report published by An Coimisiún Toghcháin in August 2023 sets out in detail the approach taken for the review carried out after the 2022 census, having regard to statutory and constitutional requirements; the report also details the public consultation and communication undertaken and the submissions received.
If the motion is passed, a letter will be issued to An Coimisiún Toghcháin. The response, when received will be shared with the committee members.