Wicklow–Wexford (Dáil constituency)

Wicklow–Wexford
Dáil constituency
Outline map
Location of Wicklow–Wexford within Ireland
Major settlements
Current constituency
Created2024
Seats3
TDs
  •   Brian Brennan (FG)
  •   Malcolm Byrne (FF)
  •   Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin (SF)
Local government area
Created from
EP constituencySouth

Wicklow–Wexford is a parliamentary constituency represented in Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament or Oireachtas, from the 2024 general election. The constituency elects three deputies (Teachtaí Dála, commonly known as TDs) on the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote (PR-STV).

History and boundaries

The 2023 report of the Electoral Commission recommended that at the next general election, a new three-seat constituency of Wicklow–Wexford be created, with a transfer of territory from the constituencies of Wexford and Wicklow.[1]

This was done to ensure compliance with the constitutional requirement for one TD per 20,000 to 30,000 of the population and with an overall increase from 160 to 174 TDs.[2] The Commission found that the constituencies of Wexford and Wicklow had a combined population sufficient to justify the allocation of 11 seats and therefore decided to create a new constituency called Wicklow–Wexford in order to meet the criteria set out under the scope of its review. The two pre-existing five-seat constituencies of Wicklow and Wexford transferred one seat each to the new constituency which then gained an additional seat to meet the three-seat minimum for a constituency.[3]

None of the ten TDs who had been elected at the 2020 Irish general election for the constituencies of Wexford and Wicklow are resident in the proposed constituency.[4][5]

For the 2024 general election, the Electoral (Amendment) Act 2023 defines the constituency as:[6]

"In the county of Wexford the electoral divisions of:
Ballindaggan, Ballycarney, Ballymore, Castledockrell, Ferns, Kilbora, Kilcormick, Kilrush, Moyacomb, Newtownbarry, Rossard, St. Mary's, The Harrow, Tinnacross, Tombrack, in the former Rural District of Enniscorthy;
Ardamine, Balloughter, Ballybeg, Ballycanew, Ballyellis, Ballygarrett, Ballylarkin, Ballynestragh, Cahore, Coolgreany, Courtown, Ford, Gorey Rural, Gorey Urban, Huntingtown, Kilcomb, Kilgorman, Killenagh, Killincooly, Kilnahue, Limerick, Monamolin, Monaseed, Rossminoge, Wells, Wingfield, in the former Rural District of Gorey;

and in the county of Wicklow, the electoral divisions of;

Arklow Rural, Aughrim, Ballinaclash, Ballinacor, Ballinderry, Ballyarthur, Cronebane, Dunganstown East, Dunganstown South, Dunganstown West, Ennereilly, Kilbride, Ovoca, Rathdrum, in the former Rural District of Rathdrum;
Aghowle, Ballingate, Ballinglen, Ballybeg, Carnew, Coolattin, Coolboy, Cronelea, Kilballyowen, Killinure, Kilpipe, Money, Rath, Shillelagh, Tinahely, in the former Rural District of Shillelagh;
and
Arklow No. 1 Urban, Arklow No. 2 Urban."

TDs

Teachtaí Dála (TDs) for Wicklow–Wexford 2024–
Key to parties
Dáil Election Deputy
(Party)		 Deputy
(Party)		 Deputy
(Party)
34th 2024[7] Brian Brennan
(FG) 		Malcolm Byrne
(FF) 		Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin
(SF)

Note: The columns in this table are used only for presentational purposes, and no significance should be attached to the order of columns. For details of the order in which seats were won at each election, see the detailed results of that election.

Elections

2024 general election

2024 general election: Wicklow–Wexford[7][8]
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4 5 6
Fine Gael Brian Brennan 23.1 8,820 8,856 9,040 9,112 9,266 10,339
Fianna Fáil Malcolm Byrne 21.7 8,311 8,344 8,492 8,577 8,727 9,156
Sinn Féin Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin 20.2 7,719 7,790 7,882 8,475 8,769 10,222
Fianna Fáil Pat Kennedy 14.3 5,478 5,493 5,559 5,597 5,743 6,609
Independent Peir Leonard 10.0 3,824 4,134 4,284 4,606 5,192  
Aontú Sinéad Boland 3.5 1,350 1,545 1,576 1,667    
PBP–Solidarity Aislinn O'Keeffe[a] 2.7 1,021 1,089 1,294      
Green Ann Walsh 2.4 897 910        
Independent Ireland Frances Lawlor 1.7 648          
Independent Ilsa-Maria Nolan 0.4 168          
Electorate: 63,003   Valid: 38,236   Spoilt: 301   Quota: 9,560   Turnout: 61.2%  
  1. ^ O'Keeffe is a member of Solidarity.

References

  1. ^ "Constituency Review Report 2023" (PDF). Electoral Commission. pp. 102, 133.
  2. ^ Spain, Sinead (30 August 2023). "14 extra TDs and four more constituencies recommended". RTÉ News.
  3. ^ EC 2023.
  4. ^ Looby, David (30 August 2023). "Shock among Wexford politicians at Boundary Commission county split with Wicklow". New Ross Standard – via Independent.ie.
  5. ^ Mac Raghnaill, Eoin (30 August 2023). "Arklow councillors hail 'game changing' Wicklow–Wexford electoral constituency". Wicklow People – via Independent.ie.
  6. ^ Electoral (Amendment) Act 2023, Schedule (No. 40 of 2023, Schedule). Enacted on 19 December 2023. Act of the Oireachtas. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 16 February 2024.
  7. ^ a b "General election 2024: Wicklow–Wexford". ElectionsIreland.org. Retrieved 7 December 2024.
  8. ^ "General Election 2024 Results – Wicklow–Wexford". RTÉ News. December 2024. Retrieved 7 December 2024.