COMMENT: Carlow were very close to electing three TDs - is a rethink required in Kilkenny?
Examining a key talking point in the Carlow-Kilkenny constituency during General Election 2024
Three of the newly elected Carlow-Kilkenny TDs after General Election 2024 are primarily Kilkenny-based (John McGuinness, Peter 'Chap' Cleere and Natasha Newsome Drennan) and two are primarily Carlow-based (Jennifer Murnane O’Connor and Catherine Callaghan).
There was much speculation before this General Election that Carlow were eyeing up two seats in the constituency.
A ‘Vote Carlow’ campaign ran across the county and was central to this aim.
While Carlow can certainly make the case, given their population, that they deserve at least two of five seats, it’s perhaps worrying from a Kilkenny perspective that our near neighbours were within a hair’s breadth of getting three.
The fact that a large chunk of the Kilkenny electorate were recently subsumed into the controversial new constituency of Tipperary North - North West Kilkenny also undoubtedly played a part in this.
While I'm sure that all the candidates elected in Carlow-Kilkenny in General Election 2024 will strive to do their best to represent their constituents across both counties, this development must not go unnoticed.
Going forward, perhaps Kilkenny also needs to be more geographically tactical in how it votes (like Carlow did this election), or see itself lose the lion’s share of TDs in future.