Dear Electoral Commission,

I would ask you to consider these matters in your review of the Dáil constituencies in the county of Kildare.

• Kildare county has sufficient population for 8.7 seats in a 180 seat Dáil if twenty extra seats are added. It currently has 4 seats in each of Kildare South and Kildare North but areas from both Offaly and Laois are included in Kildare South.
• Kildare is one of the fastest growing counties with its population increasing by 11% compared to a national average of 7.6%
• Kildare North constituency grew by 12.4% while Kildare South grew by 9.5%.
• Removing the 4 Laois Offaly EDs from the current Kildare South gives an average population in a 4 seat constituency of 28,656 (in a 180 seat Dáil) with a variance from national average of 0.67%.
• Removing this area, plus the 4 EDs in Clane LEA that came over to Kildare South in 2017 gives it an average population in a 4 seater of 27,712 or a variance per TD of -2.64%.
• Kildare North as is, with an extra seat gives an average population per TD (5 seater) of 26,871 or a variance of -5.6%. This is a little bit high so some small transfers from Kildare South would balance both better.
• Adding back in the four Clane EDs that came over in 2017 (Carbury, Carrick, Drehid, Kilrainy) gives a population in Kildare North per TD of 27,626 or a variance of -2.95%.
• This would leave Kildare North (5 seats plus 4 Clane EDs, variance of -2.95%) and Kildare South (4 seats minus the 2017 changes of 4 Laois/Offaly EDs and 4 Clane EDs, variance of -2.64%) with a good distribution and a variance per TD below the national average but recognising that this area will continue to grow in population.

In conclusion, we would ask the Commission to consider Kildare as a standalone county, add an extra seat to Kildare North, and balance this by reversing the additions to Kildare South returning the Portarlington area to its respective counties, and then balance the population between the two constituencies with 5 seats in the North, and 4 seats in the South.

This would ensure continuity with the existing arrangements, reverse a breach of the boundaries of three counties, and provide for future population growth in the county of Kildare.

Le meas,

Councillor Angela Feeney