Galway East returns to a four-seater

Large part of county returned from Roscommon-Galway

GALWAY East is set to return to a four-seat constituency.

The Electoral Commission’s report on its Constituency Review launched this morning recommends returning a large chunk of the county that had been part of the three-seater Roscommon-Galway to Galway East.

As it stands some 30,798 Galway residents in 48 Electoral Districts (EDs) have to vote in Roscommon-Galway. This is being significantly reduced.

The Commission has recommended reducing county boundary breaches where possible. Galway East will now see 32 EDs being returned, accounting for 16,330 people.

Geographically this means a parcel of the county that stretches from Williamstown in the north of the county down to Cappataggle and Clontuskert.

Voters in Williamstown, Dunmore, Clonberne, Kilkerrin, Glenamaddy, Moylough, Mountbellew, Caltra and Kilconnell will all be returned to the new four-seater Galway East for the next General Election.

However, Roscommon-Galway is remaining a three seater. All of Co Roscommon will now be in the constituency but it still requires part of Co Galway to have the sufficient population for three seats.

Areas in Co Galway that are staying in Roscommon-Galway include Ahascragh, Ballinasloe, Ballygar and Glinsk. This means that 16 EDs will stay in Roscommon-Galway accounting for a population of 14,468.

Galway West will remain a five-seater. Six EDs in the south-eastern part of Co. Mayo, with a combined population of 5,926, are recommended for transfer out of the Galway West constituency to the Mayo constituency.

Due to population increases in the Galway West Constituency of 11,027 (7.6%) the Commission is able to recommend the transfer of the six Co. Mayo EDs of Galway West to the Mayo constituency, while maintaining the Galway West constituency as a 5 seat constituency.