Politicians braced to see shape of new electoral boundaries

The Electoral Boundaries Commission report is due to be published tomorrow (Wednesday) and politicians across the county will be anxious to see the make up of any new constituencies.

The Electoral Commission was tasked with redrawing constituencies based on population and increases since the last election.

Election planners for the major parties have been speculating on the various possible outcomes and what it will mean for the next general election.

One of the likely outcomes in Meath is that the county will be divided into two four-seater constituencies - Meath East and Meath West, with the area along the coast, which is currently in the Louth constituency expected to be returned to Meath East. The Castlepollard/Delvin areas of Co Westmeath, which are currently in Meath West would then be restored to a Westmeath constituency.

However, there has been a strong campaign by the Drogheda City Status group to create a separate constituency in Drogheda, which would be likely to take in the coastal area of Meath.

Another possibility is that Meath would be divided between north and south, which would that see a very high population in the south, and could result in a five-seater constituency and Meath West remaining a three-seater.

In the Commission's remit it was stated that "the breaching of county boundaries shall be avoided as far as practicable".

The Kells Municipal District straddles three different Dáil constituencies, Meath East, Meath West and Cavan/Monaghan, while the Laytown Bettystown Municipal District straddles both the Meath East and Louth constituencies.

Directors of Elections are expecting to see the town of Kells and surrounding areas become part of Meath West and areas such as Meath Hill and Drumconrath that are in Cavan/Monaghan restored to Meath West.

Cllr Paul McCabe, who represents the Kells area, said in a submission to the Boundary review, that straddling three Dáil constituencies had led to great confusion and frustration among his constituents as well as low voter turn-out.

"They feel completely disenfranchised and under-represented at a national level, particularly since the most recent change in boundaries in 2017 when large parts of North Meath were moved into the Cavan/Monaghan constituency," he said.

"This was a regrettable development which resulted in natural and long established boundaries being breached, indeed in many cases parishes were split between two Dáil constituencies. ."

In his submission he had asked the Commission "to reunite the county of Meath, respect our county boundaries and allow local politicians to represent local communities."

The Drogheda City Status Group’s submission made to the Commission in May 2023 sets out “a compelling case for the current link between Drogheda and East Meath be retained in one constituency, this being one of many elements in cementing the strong and growing relationship between Drogheda and East Meath.

“Our concern is that the Commission may be constrained by its Terms of Reference and simply seek to “rebalance” constituencies on the basis of numbers and also, in effect protect an obsolete 19th century Local Government structure, ignoring the needs and realities of the 21st century where – in the case of Drogheda, its footprint from both a community and commercial perspective extends to include Drogheda; South Louth and East Meath in what in reality is the Greater Drogheda Metropolitan Area which should be an emerging, attractive and potentially powerful economic region providing dramatic growth in local employment in the era of climate change,” it says.

In Monday’s Irish Times, Laytown-Bettystown Fine Gael councillor, Sharon Tolan, said she hopes to become a candidate for the party in the next general election, but will not know which constituency she will be seeking to run in until the Commission reports.

Meath residents currently vote in four different constituencies, Meath West, Meath East, Louth and Cavan/Monaghan.