Co. Tipp May Split Come The Next General Election

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Tipperary may become two constituencies for the next General Election or parts at the county borders could be moved into other Dáil Constituencies and Tipperary remain one 5 seat constituency.

The newly formed Electoral Commission received 556 submissions from elected representatives, political parties, academics, sports and community groups and interested individuals. All submissions are published on the Commission website www.electoralcommission.ie including submissions from Deputy Alan Kelly & Cllr Fiona Bonfield, Senator Garret Ahearn and Deputy Mattie McGrath. The Commission is to factor in the latest census results and make it’s recommendations to the Oireachtas no later than the 30 of August.

The submissions from Tipperary’s public representatives ask that Tipperary be revised to become two 3 seat Dáil Constituencies as the county is to get an extra TD due to population increase. At present parts of west Tipperary near Newport, Birdhill are represented by Councillors elected to Tipperary Council and by TDs elected in the Limerick constituency.

The Dáil currently has 160 TDs.  An additional 11 to 21 new TD positions may be created to comply with the current Constitution which says there should be 1 TD for every between 20,000 and 30,000 people.