Fine Gael TD has mixed feelings over 'Lanigan's Ball' Laois Offaly constituency split
Fine Gael TD Charlie Flanagan said he had mixed feelings about the Laois Offaly constituency splitting in two.
Deputy Flanagan was speaking after the Electoral Commission announced that Laois and Offaly would be split into two three seat constituencies for the next General Election.
“We are in a Lanigan's Ball situation, stepping in and stepping out of different constituencies over the last decade,” noted Deputy Flanagan.
He said population increases had probably dictated the decision for the change the constituency back to two three seats.
“My constituency obviously will be on the Laois side,” said Dep Flanagan.
Dep Flanagan said he had made a submission to the Electoral Commission in relation to county boundaries.
“I am pleased that county boundaries have been respected in Laois Offaly. It is important because of the nature of local government,” he explained.
Dep Flanagan doesn’t favour placing parts of counties into neighbouring counties for electoral purposes.
“The Kildare experiment didn’t work,” he said in relation to present set up in Laois/Offaly.
Dep Flanagan was keen to point out that he would continue to represent the people of both Laois and Offaly until the next election.
“It appears that I will be saying goodbye again to the people of Offaly having done so a few years back,” he noted.
“It was a privilege for me to represent the people of Offaly for the vast majority of my elected career,” said Dep Flanagan.