World of Politics with Harry McGee

Once upon a time there was a constituency called Galway South. And until 1961 there was the constituency of Galway North. If you go back to the 19th century it was just Co Galway.

For this generation, the two constituencies that have made up this county have been Galway West and Galway East.

But with each census, and with each population increase, those old divisions have come under threat. It was complicated more during the years of austerity when the number of Teachtaí Dála were cut back to 158 for the 2016 election. That could not be sustained.

The 1937 Constitution provides that the minimum population number for each TD will be 20,000 and the maximum will be 30,000.

There was a marginal increase of TDs in the 2020 election to 160. The Constituency Commission recommended that number based on the 2016 census. However, it gave an average representation of 29,762 of population per member, which was perilously close to the upper limit.

It made for some very messy constituency changes around the country. Galway was one of the counties most impacted. The problem did not relate so much to Galway as much as the surrounding counties, Roscommon in particular.

The Commission is told to try to retain county boundaries as much as possible. As Ireland has changed that has become increasingly difficult, even with the wiggle room afforded by the wide margin allowed: between one TD per 20,000 people; and one TD per 30,000 people.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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