Hackett 'disappointed' but sitting TDs welcome Offaly's new Dáil constituency
Members of the Oireachtas in Offaly have been giving their reactions to the news today that the county will have its own standalone three-seat Dáil constituency at the next general election.
Three-seat constituencies are generally regarded as being more favourable to the larger parties, and Green Party Senator and Minister of State Pippa Hackett expressed disappointment about the boundary change which will end the current five-seat Laois-Offaly arrangement.
Fianna Fáil TD Barry Cowen and Independent TD Carol Nolan both told the Offaly Independent they were supportive of the change, which will see the new Offaly constituency fully align with its county boundary for the first time.
All three indicated their intention to stand in Offaly at the next general election.
Minister of State Hackett said she had been "proud to come 6th in the five-seater Laois-Offaly constituency" at the general election in February 2020, and that she had "enjoyed working with communities across both Laois and Offaly" since her election to the Seanad in April of that year.
"Whilst I am disappointed by the outcome for my own constituency of Laois-Offaly, I am fully aware that the establishment of An Coimisiún Toghcháin, the Electoral Commission, represents the most important reform of the electoral system in decades," she said.
"The Green Party made a submission in favour of the greater use of larger constituencies, as we believe these promote more diversity, gender balance, and ensure all views are represented in the Oireachtas.
"I fully intend to run in the next election as the Green Party candidate for Offaly – with 3 seats this will be an uphill challenge, but I'll dig deep, and will stand on my proven record of representing the people of the Midlands as a Senator, as a Minister of State in the Department of Agriculture and as the only Minister at Cabinet for the area."
She went on to say other politicians "may wish for the people of Offaly to stay forever tied to the past," but that this was not her vision for the county.
"Nor is it the vision of the many amazing communities I have met across this county, who are fully aware of the potential that the future green economy holds for this county and region. And I am ready to deliver on those opportunities," she said.
When asked if he intends to stand in the next Dáil election, Deputy Barry Cowen replied, "I certainly hope so, yes."
He said the new three-seat arrangement would see a welcome increase in Dáil representation for the Faithful County.
"At the moment Offaly has two TDs, and after the next election it will have three, so that's to be welcomed," he said.
"The commission is to be commended for sticking rigidly to the requests of many people throughout the country who asked that county boundaries be respected and upheld in local constituencies.
"They appear to have acquiesced to that in most instances, and in the case of Offaly our electorate and our constituency will be better represented, and more represented, which can only augur well."
Between 2016 and 2020, Offaly was a three-seat constituency, albeit one that at the time took in an area of North Tipperary.
"The last time Offaly was a three-seater it included a section of North Tipperary, which created its own problems in terms of not only crossing county boundaries but crossing provincial boundaries," said the Fianna Fáil representative.
"Previous to that, part of Offaly was in with North Tipperary, which wasn't welcome then either.
"Now we have the return of North Portarlington, or Gracefield, to its natural home back in Offaly. That's where it is in the (GAA) championship and it will be there when the election comes too!
"I've heard others say we should have six-seat constituencies, but that creates bigger areas and it could create a bit of imbalance, which we saw in the last election where three TDs were elected in Laois and two in Offaly," said Deputy Cowen.
Independent TD Carol Nolan said would have been content with whichever outcome the Electoral Commission had decided upon in Offaly.
"I didn't mind either way, to be quite honest with you. I wasn't one of the TDs that made a submission (to the Commission). I just felt I should let the whole process take its course," she told the Offaly Independent.
"I reside in Cadamstown, which is on the Laois border. I have strong connections to county Laois, and it's been an honour and a pleasure to represent the people of county Laois who voted for me the last time, when I successfully secured the fourth seat out of five.
"I genuinely felt that whatever happens happens, and I intended to stand for election regardless of what way the boundaries were going to fall."
She said she would be continuing to represent the people of Laois, in addition to the people of Offaly, up until the next general election, and that her office in Mountmellick would not be closing until then.
In general, county boundaries being maintained in Dáil constituencies was a good thing, she said.
"From what I've seen of the commission's report so far, it's an improvement on what the previous boundary commission did in 2016.
"I remember the people of North Tipperary being very aggrieved when there were 10,000 voters put in with county Offaly. I remember canvassing in that (2016) election, and the Tipperary people didn't like it.
"Obviously I didn't mind. I was prepared to represent any community, or any part of any other county, but I can understand the frustration of people in that every county wants to have their own TDs.
"With population rises and everything else, people want to make sure their areas are looked after, and that's understandable."
She said she was happy the area of Portarlington which is in county Offaly will be included in the Offaly constituency.
"I think it was wrong to put Portarlington in with Kildare South at the last general election.
"It just didn't make sense and I know a lot of Portarlington people were frustrated that they couldn't go to their TD, who might have been just up or down the road from them," said Deputy Nolan.