TAOISEACH LOSES PART OF HIS CONSTITUENCY TO GAL WEST BUT SAYS BOUNDARY CHANGES WILL BE IMPLEMENTED

Date Published: 21-Jun-2012

The Taoiseach says the Government will implement in full the recommendations in the Constituency Commission's report.

Enda Kenny's own constituency of Mayo is a major casualty going from 5 seats to 4, and part of it - Ballinrobe and its hinterland - is going into Galway West

From a national perspective the report says there should be a reduction in the number of electoral divisions from 43 to 40 - along with a shake-up in all but eight constituencies.

Galway West isn't being shook up too much apart from the addition of part of south Mayo but the existing Galway East is being hit with major change

It's to be reduced from 4 seats to 3 seat and as a result will lose part of its population to Roscommon and be part of the new 3 seat constituency of Galway/Roscommon

We'll be looking at this in more detail in just a few minutes

Nationally, the Commission is also calling for the number of TDs to be cut by eight before the next General Election - from 166 Dail members to 158.

Enda Kenny says the recommendations will form part of the Goverment's plan to reduce the size of the Oireachtas.