Calleary to fight reduction in number of Mayo TDs

Calleary to oppose reduction in Mayo TDs


Áine Ryan

EVEN if Mayo loses its fifth seat after the newly-formed  Constituency Commission makes its recommendations, the only Fianna FΡil TD in the county, Dara Calleary  fancies his chances of winning a seat in the next General Election.
Deputy Calleary, a rising star in the last government, was the fifth and final candidate across the line in last February’s election after a blue tide swept across the county, leading to the appointment of Enda Kenny as Taoiseach.  
Speaking to The Mayo News yesterday, Dara Calleary conceded there was a real chance of Mayo losing a DΡil deputy due to the fact that initial Census 2011 figures revealed a lower than average population increase in the county. While all counties experienced a natural increase – that is more births than deaths – during the intercensal period between 2006 and 2011, Cork City, Roscommon and Mayo had the lowest increase.
When Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government Phil Hogan last week published the Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2011, he opened the way to change the terms of reference of the Constituency Commission. As promised in the Programme for Government, the commission will be charged with reducing the number of TDs.
Minister Hogan said: “The commission will be required to recommend DΡil constituencies based on a number of TDs not less than 152 and not more than 160. The precise number will be a matter for the Constituency Commission to recommend in its report.”
The minister confirmed that the commission would report within three months of the publication of the final Census results, which are due in April 2012.

Sprawling
Responding yesterday, Deputy Calleary said: “While there is a real possibility we could lose a TD, there is a strong argument to be made for the retention of five deputies due to the geographical size of this county. As the only sitting Fianna FΡil TD, I am really stretched to give normal service to the whole constituency and I believe we will not be able to provide proper representation if the number of TDs is reduced.”
He observed that the population on the east coast was much more concentrated and therefore easier to represent.