A number of changes are proposed for the Tipperary constituency in a review of the Dáil boundaries.
While the Boundary Commission report would see Lower Ormond return to the Premier County for General Elections thousands of votes in the Newport area are to be moved to the Limerick constituency.
At the last General Election a large portion of Tipperary north of Nenagh was transferred into the Offaly constituency.
As a result around 10,000 Tipperary people were left feeling disenfranchised – the changes meant their local councillor was a member of Tipperary County Council while their TD was from Offaly.
This latest Boundary Commission report would see Lower Ormond returned to the Tipp constituency while Offaly and Laois will be merged to form a single 5-seater.
However another large portion of the Premier County is facing into having their local TD being from a different county – the report recommends 4,300 votes in the Newport area would transfer to Limerick.
This could have a significant impact on Labour’s Alan Kelly who has a strong base in the area which is home to Councillor Fiona Bonfield – the party’s only representative on Tipperary County Council.
In all three constituencies are to be given an extra TD under a new review of the Dáil boundaries published last night – Dublin Central, Kildare South, and Cavan-Monaghan will all gain a member.
A small number of other constituencies will see minor changes to their boundaries, but will not have any change in the number of TDs which will now stand at 160.
