Redrawing of constituency boundaries a 'victory for South Mayo' - Dillon

Mayo Fine Gael TD, Alan Dillon has welcomed the recommendations of the Electoral Commission to transfer six electoral divisions back to Mayo describing it as a 'victory for south Mayo'.

An Coimisiún Toghcháin, Ireland’s Independent Electoral Commission published its recommendations on Ireland’s Dáil and European Parliament Constituency Review this morning and recommended that Mayo will return as a five-seat constituency.

It also recommended that six electoral divisions in the south eastern part of Co Mayo – Cong, Houndswood, The Neale, Kilmaine, Dalgan and Shrule - with a total population of 5,926 are recommended for transfer to the Mayo constituency from the Galway West constituency.

Fine Gael TD Alan Dillon was one of the public representatives who made submissions calling for the six electoral divisions to be returned to Mayo and welcomed the Electoral Commission's recommendations.

“This decision rectifies a deviation made in 2013 for over 5,000 Mayo residents who were temporarily repositioned to the Galway West constituency,” outlined Deputy Dillon.

In his submission to the Electoral Commission, Deputy Dillon emphasised the imperative of upholding the county boundary and safeguarding South Mayo's regional identity.

“I am extremely pleased to see the return of Cong, Cross, The Neale, Kilmaine, Glencorrib, and Shrule, representing a population of 5,962, to Mayo. The inclusion of the region in the Galway West constituency since 2013, inadvertently undermined South Mayo's heritage and rich contributions to our great county of Mayo,” he said.

The Mayo constituency had been a five-seat constituency from 1995 to 2013 when it was reduced to a four seater with a significant part of south Mayo transferred to Galway West.

The Commission stated that the 'four seat Mayo constituency, with a population of 132,044, has a variance of 11.55 percent which is beyond what the Commission would consider acceptable'.

The recommendation to increase the number of TDs in Mayo from four to five will be a sign of relief for the current TDs as it will increase their chances of being re-elected at the next election.

Deputy Dillon who was elected on the last count at the 2020 General Election stated that the increase in TDs will 'ensure that the rights of the people of South Mayo are respected, and their voices are properly heard'.

“There are a number of important issues such as advancing plans for the Cong R345 relief road, upgrading of the R332 Kilmaine to Foxhall Road from the Tuam by-pass as well as N84 Ballinrobe by-pass. I also look forward to working with all the local community organisations, sporting clubs, voluntary groups, and farmers in the region.

“This is a great day for Mayo which now sees our constituency returned to what it should have been over the past decade,” he concluded.