Submission by Barry Andrews MEP to the European Parliament Constituency Review.

I wish to make a submission to the Electoral Commission regarding the review of the European Parliament constituencies.

It is my assertion that the constituency of Dublin as it is currently configured, comprising of Dublin City and County, no longer serves its purpose for many of the people who spend much of their time in the constituency – such is the expansion of the population into neighbouring counties.

In the Census 2022 Population Increase by Local Authority: A Review of Preliminary Data, compiled by the County and City Management Association, it states:

“Dublin City and Fingal experienced the largest population increase, at 33,679 and 33,198 respectively. However, the increase in Fingal represents an 11 per cent increase, which is considerably above the 8 per cent national average compared to a 6 per cent increase in Dublin City. Cork County’s increase of 26,883 is in line with the national average increase as it represents an 8 per cent increase.

There were several counties in close proximity to Dublin that experienced significant increases in both the number and rate of growth including Meath at 13 per cent, which is 25,252 people, and 11 per cent in Kildare which is 24,473 additional people. South Dublin and Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown saw increases of 21,026 and 15,439 respectively, which equates to a growth rate of 8 and 7 per cent.”

The rate of growth in counties Kildare and Meath, with two of the fasted growing populations in the country, in my view, represents many constituents who are working in Dublin, shopping in Dublin and living much of their daily lives in Dublin.

The Midlands/Northwest constituency includes counties Meath, Kildare and Louth, all with large towns that are growing in population, and stretches all the way to the western seaboard where the needs of the constituents are somewhat different. In the case of Co. Louth, it cannot be considered to be in the Midlands or the Northwest – already rendering it an unnatural fit for that constituency.

I submit that the constituents of Dublin, Kildare, Meath and Louth would be better served by being part of a newly configured North East Leinster constituency.

In a newly configured North East Leinster Constituency, key policy areas such as Housing, Transport, Health and Policing could be approached far more coherently given the similarities that exist demographically and economically. This coherent approach can also be applied to other key areas such as Education, Agriculture and Tourism. For tourism purposes, Meath and Kildare are already marketed as Irelands Ancient East.

Final Recommendation:
The creation of a newly configured constituency, North East Leinster, to include all of counties Dublin, Kildare, Meath and Louth.

Regards,

Barry Andrews MEP