Big changes to existing Roscommon constituency

A significantly changed three-seat Roscommon/Galway constituency is to be in place for the next general election.

It follows a recommendation by the Electoral Commission in its Constituency Review published this morning.

The new constituency will include the entire county of Roscommon and a significantly smaller part of Galway.

Some 18 Roscommon electoral divisions, around Boyle,with a population of 8,569, that are currently in the Sligo/Leitrim constituency are to be moved into the new Roscommon/Galway constituency.

However, the commission said that as the county of Roscommon did not have sufficient population for a three-seat constituency, it was necessary to retain some of the population in east Galway that is currently in the constituency.

Currently, the constituency contains 48 electoral divisions in Galway with a population of 30,798. This is to be reduced to 16 electoral divisions in Galway with a population of 14,468.

Areas such as Glenamaddy, Mountbellew, Dunmore and Castleblakeney are to be moved to the Galway East constituency, while Ballinasloe and environs, Glinsk and Ballygar remain in the Roscommon/Galway constituency.

The amended Roscommon-Galway constituency will have a population of 28,242 people for each of its three TDs.

In light of the growth in population nationally, the commission recommended that the total number of TDs be increased from 160 to 174, and that the number of constituencies would increase from 39 to 43.