Electoral Commission makes historic recommendation for Offaly

FOR the first time ever, the entire county of Offaly will be a single Dail constituency with three seats for the next general election.

Because of population increases, the Electoral Commission has recommended that the existing five-seat constituency of Laois-Offaly be split in two.

Instead, Offaly will return three TDs to Dail Eireann, as will Laois.

Unlike the the previous occasion when Offaly was a stand-alone three-seat constituency, there will be no additional area transferred from north Tipperary.

However, under the new arrangement, Offaly will regain the Portarlington North Electoral Division which had been sliced off prior to the 2020 general election.

There are currently just two TDs sitting in Offaly, Fianna Fail's Barry Cowen and the Independent, Carol Nolan.