Independent Laois Offaly TD says constituency changes an improvement

Independent TD Carol Nolan believes the constituency boundaries changes proposed by the Electoral Commission are an improvement. 

The proposals would see Laois Offaly split into two three seat constituencies but crucially, it will also restore the county boundaries which weren’t kept in the last change. 

Dep Nolan said she would have been content with whichever outcome the Electoral Commission had decided upon in Offaly.

"I didn't mind either way, to be quite honest with you. I wasn't one of the TDs that made a submission (to the Commission). I just felt I should let the whole process take its course," she said. .

"I reside in Cadamstown, which is on the Laois border. I have strong connections to county Laois, and it's been an honour and a pleasure to represent the people of county Laois who voted for me the last time, when I successfully secured the fourth seat out of five.

"I genuinely felt that whatever happens happens, and I intended to stand for election regardless of what way the boundaries were going to fall."

She said she would be continuing to represent the people of Laois, in addition to the people of Offaly, up until the next general election, and that her office in Mountmellick would not be closing until then.

In general, county boundaries being maintained in Dáil constituencies was a good thing, she said.

"From what I've seen of the commission's report so far, it's an improvement on what the previous boundary commission did in 2016.

"I remember the people of North Tipperary being very aggrieved when there were 10,000 voters put in with county Offaly. I remember canvassing in that (2016) election, and the Tipperary people didn't like it.

"Obviously I didn't mind. I was prepared to represent any community, or any part of any other county, but I can understand the frustration of people in that every county wants to have their own TDs.

"With population rises and everything else, people want to make sure their areas are looked after, and that's understandable."

She said she was happy the area of Portarlington which is in county Offaly will be included in the Offaly constituency.

"I think it was wrong to put Portarlington in with Kildare South at the last general election.

"It just didn't make sense and I know a lot of Portarlington people were frustrated that they couldn't go to their TD, who might have been just up or down the road from them," said Deputy Nolan