Parties want extra MEP seat allocated to Midlands North-West

The extra MEP being allocated to Ireland after next year’s European elections should be in the Midlands North-West constituency, according to political parties that have made submissions to An Coimisiún Toghcháin,, the Electoral Commission.

The commission is reviewing European parliament constituencies in the wake of a European Union decision to increase the number of MEPs for Ireland from 13 to 14.

With the next European election due to take place in June, the commission is set to report on its constituency review this month.

Ireland currently has three constituencies: two four-seaters Dublin and Midlands North-West – which includes 13 counties across Leinster, Connacht and Ulster; and the five-seat South constituency which comprises of 12 counties in Leinster and Munster.

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Submissions made to the commission’s review last month show that Sinn Féin, Fine Gael, the Green Party and the Labour Party all favour the extra MEP being allocated to Midlands North-West to create a new five-seat constituency.

The moving of Laois and Offaly from the South constituency is suggested by all of them to ensure a balance is maintained in terms of the number of MEPs per head of population.

Sinn Féin encouraged the commission to prioritise one of the terms of its review – that it endeavours to maintain “continuity in relation to the arrangement of constituencies” – given how close the next election is.

Sinn Féin said the addition of one seat “makes this a relatively simple choice” and suggested moving Laois and Offaly into Midlands North-West to allow for the seat to be allocated there.

The party also asked the commission to carry out research “on how Irish citizens living in the north of Ireland could be given a voice in the European Parliament”, saying they have been without representation in Europe since Brexit.

Fine Gael outlined two boundaries redraw options to facilitate a new five-seat Midlands North-West - either moving Clare, or both Laois and Offaly, from the South constituency.

The party said: “Moving counties Laois and Offaly makes more sense, as Leinster is already split between two constituencies, and the resulting variances represent the optimum equality of representation.”

In April, Fianna Fáil’s organisation in Offaly wrote to the commission requesting that it consider realigning its Dáil constituency with the European Parliament Midlands North-West constituency given the population changes recorded in the census.

There has been speculation that local Fianna Fáil TD Barry Cowen is considering a European Parliament bid.

Senators Lisa Chambers and Niall Blaney are intending to contest the election in Midlands North-West where the party currently has no MEP.

Party leader, Tánaiste Micheál Martin, was asked by RTÉ on Sunday if Mr Cowen will run.

Mr Martin said: “There have been rumours to that effect... That’ll be a matter for Barry ultimately to make a decision on that but certainly the reconfiguration of the boundary is a factor there.”