CONSTITUENCY PROFILE: Roscommon/Galway

 

Roscommon/Galway

 

The constituency includes parts of Roscommon and Galway.

Following recommendations by the 2017 Constituency Commission, some 7,800 people around Boyle and west of Carrick on Shannon were moved to the Sligo-Leitrim constituency, This includes Boyle, Keadue, Ballyfarnan and Arigna among other areas.

The remainder of Co. Roscommon is in the Roscommon/Galway constituency.

Prior to the 2017 Constituency Commission, the Roscommon/Galway constituency includes parts of Galway such as Ballinasloe, Ahascragh, Newbridge, Caltra, Castleblakeney, Glenamaddy, Ballygar, Glinsk, Kilkerrin and Creggs.

However, following the 2017 commission report, an additional 8,650 people who were previously in the Galway East constituency have now been transferred to Roscommon/Galway.

This extra area includes Aughrim, Mountbellew, Kilconnell and parts of the Tuam hinterland including Dunmore and Clonbern.

The remainder of Galway is in either the Galway East or Galway West constituency.

 

A map of the constituency showing the Roscommon/Galway constituency, from the Constituency Commission 2017 report, including the parts moving into the area from Galway and leaving from Roscommon.

 

 

Fitzmaurice, Michael (Independent); Murphy, Eugene (Fianna Fail); Naughten, Denis (Independent)

 

Aisling Dolan (Fine Gael)

Thomas D. Fallon (Independent)

Michael Fitzmaurice (Independent)

Paul Hanley (National Party)

James Hope (Aontú)

Claire Kerrane (Sinn Féin)

Orla Leyden (Fianna Fáil)

Eugene Murphy (Fianna Fáil)

Denis Naughten (Independent)

Julie O'Donoghue (Green Party)

Kenny Tynan (Solidarity-People Before Profit)

 

 

 

 

 

The impact of the change in the constituency boundary since the last election should not be estimated.

The loss of the Boyle area and the inclusion of another swathe of Galway into this constituency has shifted the population balance.

At the 2016 elections, the population ratio (not voter ratio) between Roscommon and Galway parts of the constituency was 3.1 to 1. It is now 1.9 to 1.

And whilst the population of the Roscommon side of the constituency is still clearly significantly larger than that of the Galway part, the changing balance must be considered in any election analysis.

Michael Fitzmaurice is the most likely to benefit from the extra Galway population, given his Creggs/Glinsk background.

Fitzmaurice won a seat in the by election of 2014 and has been a Dail deputy since.

Denis Naughten secured a whopping 30.5% of the vote last time, exceeding the quota by more than 2,500 votes.

It would be difficult to see his vote plummeting to such an extent that his seat is in danger

The real interest is in the battle between the two Fianna Fail candidates, Eugene Murphy and Orla Leyden. Murphy was somewhat of a surprise success story in 2016 and has a higher profile given his last four years as a Dail deputy. He may also benefit from the controversy surrounding the last-minute addition of a running mate.

Leyden, on the other hand, has geography in her favour, being based almost in the centre of the constituency in the Fuerty area of mid Roscommon.

From a long-established political family, she has a strong pedigree among Fianna Fail voters.

The whispers have been strong for Sinn Fein's Claire Kerrane in recent weeks.

The party's attraction across the country is clearly evident in opinion polls, but she will require a significant improvement on her 6.9% share of the vote in 2016, although she has the endorsement of MEP Luke 'Ming' Flanagan.

Both Kerrane, from Tibohine in west Roscommon, and Murphy from Scramogue, Strokestown, may also suffer from the loss of the Boyle area.

Fine Gael is running Aisling Dolan from Ballinasloe, who was added to the ticket after the late decision of Senator Maura Hopkins not to run.

Dolan had been a popular independent councillor and her urban base in Ballinasloe may stand to her. However, Fine Gael has struggled somewhat in the constituency since the Roscommon Hospital saga.

The performance of The Green Party candidate Julie O'Donoghue will be of interest, given that the area has never been particularly fertile soil for the party before.

Also running are Kenny Tynan for Solidarity-People Before Profit, Aontú's James Hope, Paul Hanley of The National Party and Thomas D. Fallon (Independent).

Roscommon/Galway always throws up a surprise – and Roscommon almost prides itself on bucking the trend.

Will the Fianna Fail candidates split the vote and allow Sinn Fein take a seat?

Could there be no Fine Gael or Fianna Fail TD returned to Dail Eireann?

Will there be a move away from the in-situ independent TDs, Fitzmaurice and Naughten?

Only time will tell.

 

Farming issues are key to this constituency, particularly the future of family farms and the difficulty beef farmers are experiencing in securing fair prices.

Candidates have repeatedly highlighted the problems constituents have encountered in securing Home Care packages.

There is also a feeling that rural Ireland is being neglected due to lack of essential services and cuts to existing infrastructure.

In recent days, the long-term future of Portiuncula Hospital in Ballinasloe has become an election topic – with candidates disagreeing over the impact of plans of the Saolta Group for a restructuring of the acute hospital network in the west.

The national issues of healthcare, housing, homelessness and chilcare are also playing out on the doorsteps of this constituency.

 

 

Boyle Sports, as at 2pm (Friday)

Michael Fitzmaurice (1/6); Denis Naughten (1/6); Eugene Murphy (8/11); Orla Leyden (4/5); Claire Kerrane (2/1); Aisling Dolan (7/1); Julie O'Donoghue (12/1) … remainder 25/1 bar.

 

Voting is open at 89 polling stations in Roscommon and 50 in Galway from 7am to 10pm on Saturday, February 8.