A NORTHSIDE TD has called for DUBLIN Fingal to remain a five-seat constituency.
Darragh O’Brien (FF), one of the five sitting TDs in the constituency, has made a submission in relation to the preparation of the Dail Constituency Boundary commission report, which is due to be completed in the coming months.
“As a resident, constituent and TD for the Dublin Fingal constituency, I strongly believe that there should be no geographical change to the constituency,” said Deputy O’Brien.
“The constituency follows the historical and natural boundaries of what was the Dublin North Dail constituency and in my view that should remain unchanged.”
A new Constituency Commission was established last July following the publication of the preliminary results of Census 2016.
Members of the public were invited to make suggestions or proposals to the Commission regarding constituencies. The deadline was last Tuesday, January 10.
Deputy O’Brien said that while the population figures as per the recent Census puts the overall constituency marginally over the average threshold for a five-seater, it remains within the permitted population/representation variation.
“It is therefore hugely important that there are five elected representatives to serve the people living in the large number of distinct towns and villages in Fingal,” he added.
“It is the view of all of constituents that I have interacted with on this matter, that Dublin Fingal should remain unaltered both geographically and in terms of seat numbers.”
The Constituency Commission must make its report to the chairman of Dáil Eireann no later than three months after the publication of the final results of Census 2016. These results are expected in March.
The Dublin Fingal constituency starts in Balbriggan in the north, incorporates all the old Dublin North constituency, and Swords-Forrest and Kilsallaghan from Dublin West and Balgriffin and Turnapin from Dublin North East.
The four other sitting TDs are Clare Daly (ULA), Alan Farrell (FG), Brendan Ryan (Lab) and Louise O’Reilly (SF).