The New Constituency of Offaly

mansize

Contrary to what the candidates say it's just Offaly, not Offaly and North Tipperary, but we do have a few North Tipp wards in our new Constituency

We are a 3 seater, which effectively means we have a "spare" seat as there are only two sitting TD's, Barry Cowen (FF) and Marcella Corcoran Kennedy (FG) and both are seeking reelection, and in my opinion, likely to be re-elected.

The third seat is up for grabs, with John Leahy (Renua), the front runner amongst the chasing pack. I reckon it will be between him, Eddie Fitzpatrick (FF) and John Foley (Ind) with the remainder just making up the numbers.

Labour are NOT running a candidate here, but with little local success, and poor national trends explaining why.

I predict the two sitting TD's to be returned and Leahy and Fitzpatrick, FF still very strong in Offaly, fighting it out for the third seat.

What say my fellow Offalians?

OneOfTheseDays

I say pass the prozac.

mansize

Lively

Maymack

Without the eleven thousand voters from North Tipperary , Offaly would remain a two seater & not three. So if should be called Offaly / North Tipperary & not just Offaly. That part of Tipperary should never have gone to Offaly for elections. Tipperary is Tipperary & Offaly is Offaly. The boundaries should be reversed.

mansize

Well the name is Offaly! Offaly was in North Tipp the last election and it was North Tipp. The official constituency name is Offaly

mansize

Maymack wrote: »

Without the eleven thousand voters from North Tipperary , Offaly would remain a two seater & not three. So if should be called Offaly / North Tipperary & not just Offaly. That part of Tipperary should never have gone to Offaly for elections. Tipperary is Tipperary & Offaly is Offaly. The boundaries should be reversed.

You can't be a two seater! It was a 5 seater with Laois. Plenty of countries have small parts in other constituencies- it's nothing new

Maymack

Constituencies that have parts of other counties in them are mentioned. Offaly only has enough of population for two seater. That is why eleven thousand voters are been transferred from North Tipp. If you only have enough of population for two seater than that is all you should get & not be robbing votes from other counties

force eleven

Cowen and Kennedy are shoe-ins. Fitzpatrick to take the third. He'll get plenty of transfers from Cowens surplus and he'll get a lot from Foley when he is eliminated. I'd like to see one of the Independents shake up the picture here but no chance this time. Nolan and Leahy have a sniff of that 3rd seat but all the elements will have to go with them on the day to get it.

mansize

Maymack wrote: »

Constituencies that have parts of other counties in them are mentioned. Offaly only has enough of population for two seater. That is why eleven thousand voters are been transferred from North Tipp. If you only have enough of population for two seater than that is all you should get & not be robbing votes from other counties

2 seaters are not allowed!!! Wicklow have East Carlow, Loais have South Kildare and Galway West have part of Mayo. I don't think you are aware of the intricacies of constituencies

mansize

force eleven wrote: »

Cowen and Kennedy are shoe-ins. Fitzpatrick to take the third. He'll get plenty of transfers from Cowens surplus and he'll get a lot from Foley when he is eliminated. I'd like to see one of the Independents shake up the picture here but no chance this time. Nolan and Leahy have a sniff of that 3rd seat but all the elements will have to go with them on the day to get it.

Nolan isn't a big enough name to carry her in, I expected the Cllr Kileavy to be nominated but SF felt, and I feel they weren't likely to win it- so went with a quota candidate

The surge with FF could see Fitzpatrick target it, and I wouldn't be surprised to see the FF machine out in full force in the constituency over the last two weeks

Now I see FF gain

For Forks Sake

mansize wrote: »

2 seaters are not allowed!!! Wicklow have East Carlow, Loais have South Kildare and Galway West have part of Mayo. I don't think you are aware of the intricacies of constituencies

Indeed. The Sligo-Leitrim constituency also includes a good bit of south Donegal and west Cavan. It's mostly to do with representative per head of population.

force eleven

mansize wrote: »

Nolan isn't a big enough name to carry her in, I expected the Cllr Kileavy to be nominated but SF felt, and I feel they weren't likely to win it- so went with a quota candidate

The surge with FF could see Fitzpatrick target it, and I wouldn't be surprised to see the FF machine out in full force in the constituency over the last two weeks

Now I see FF gain

FF very big here in North Offaly. I've seen our former taoiseach out and about locally more times in the last week than in the previous 5 years.

mansize

I feel very strange most voters are going back to FF, (they never abandoned them in OY- I wonder why... Looks at hospital, bypass and new schools- but that's it now no more goodies for Offaly for a long time) but I'm moving to FG to thank MCK for her effort in Mar ref where FF where lacking and most local councillors opposed except Sinead Dooley who was very helpful.

If there was a Soc Dem I'd vote for them but their high tax model wouldn't get any votes here I. OY so unsurprisingly they've bypassed the constituency

I'd rather FF than Renua though and Fitzpatrick will get my number 2

Maymack

I don't think you're getting my point here. It was mentioned earlier that part of Offaly was in the former North Tipp constituency. In my view it should have been known as North Tipp/Offaly. If your constituency covers multiple counties, they should all be mentioned. Constituencies should mention all the areas the TD will represent.

mansize

Well that involves adding on a lot of counties to existing constituencies so

Where was your outcry over the lack of South Offaly in North Tipp the last time???

Maymack

As I said in my previous post, it should have been mentioned. Let me put a question to you? Were you happy with a North Tipp TD representing your area? I'd say not. Is there any reason why TDs can't be voted in on county only system? No reason we can't.

mansize

Maymack wrote: »

As I said in my previous post, it should have been mentioned. Let me put a question to you? Were you happy with a North Tipp TD representing your area? I'd say not. Is there any reason why TDs can't be voted in on county only system? No reason we can't.

I was represented and voted for Laois TDs previously so that's a non starter

TDs county by county? That would be very parochial

I don't get the county obsession thing tbf

Maymack

Ok here is my point. You say you voted for a Laois TD. If he/she was approached by a multinational company & was told by the company they were going to create 200 new jobs. The Laois TD was offered to locate the jobs in Tullamore or Portloaise . Which town do you think they would pick?

mansize

Maymack wrote: »

Ok here is my point. You say you voted for a Laois TD. If he/she was approached by a multinational company & was told by the company they were going to create 200 new jobs. The Laois TD was offered to locate the jobs in Tullamore or Portloaise . Which town do you think they would pick?

So it's all about parish pump to you!

I commuted to Dublin to work so wither is preferable

The companies don't just pick places on the whim of a politician though tbf. Skills level, facilities etc far more important

mansize

Then I suppose it's the Michael Lowrey North Tipp mentality...

Maymack

The problem mansize is Irish politics as a whole. They are meant to work in the national interest. Not be sorting out faulty street lights and potholes. They're local authority issues. When it comes to elections you have your local politician boasting about what they did for their county.That is what I am trying to state. When it comes to getting votes to get reelected they will look after their own area first.

mansize

Maymack wrote: »

The problem mansize is Irish politics as a whole. They are meant to work in the national interest. Not be sorting out faulty street lights and potholes. They're local authority issues. When it comes to elections you have your local politician boasting about what they did for their county.That is what I am trying to state. When it comes to getting votes to get reelected they will look after their own area first.

So voting in the new Offaly constituency means you can do so in the national interest!

Maymack

I don't think you understand mansize. Look over the last 12 months in cork & limerick where big job announcements were made. Who was there announcing them? Simon coveney & Michael Noonan for their respective countys. It should be just the minister for employment. But instead you have local politicians jumping on the band wagon & boasting about the new jobs in their area to get votes. The parish pump lies in every county & that needs to change

mansize

Maymack wrote: »

I don't think you understand mansize. Look over the last 12 months in cork & limerick where big job announcements were made. Who was there announcing them? Simon coveney & Michael Noonan for their respective countys. It should be just the minister for employment. But instead you have local politicians jumping on the band wagon & boasting about the new jobs in their area to get votes. The parish pump lies in every county & that needs to change

So you can embrace that change!

Maymack

Politics needs to change first. Do you think the politicians of North Tipp cared about the issues of south Offaly? Probably not because their core vote was in North Tipp. Likewise Offaly candidates going for election now will promise to listen to & work for that small area of North Tipp, but probably won't because their core vote will be in Offaly & they will only have small vote in North Tipp.

mansize

Maymack wrote: »

Politics needs to change first. Do you think the politicians of North Tipp cared about the issues of south Offaly? Probably not because their core vote was in North Tipp. Likewise Offaly candidates going for election now will promise to listen to & work for that small area of North Tipp, but probably won't because their core vote will be in Offaly & they will only have small vote in North Tipp.

Most will (hopefully) be concerned with national issues

Maymack

Lets hope they all work in the best interests of the country and its citizens. Lets also hope some day we get away from the parish pump system. Its good to see Offaly as a stand alone constituency. My point and worry here was for the eleven thousand voters in that part of North Tipp. Will their issues be raised in the Dail? The new Tipperary TDs won't be too worried because they can't get any votes there & the numbers there aren't going make much of difference to Offaly TDs.

joebloggs32

Maymack wrote: »

Without the eleven thousand voters from North Tipperary , Offaly would remain a two seater & not three. So if should be called Offaly / North Tipperary & not just Offaly. That part of Tipperary should never have gone to Offaly for elections. Tipperary is Tipperary & Offaly is Offaly. The boundaries should be reversed.

I didn't hear anyone calling it north tipp and Offaly last time out when everyone south of Coolderry had to look at. Michael Lowry's mug shot on their ballot paper

mansize

Anyway how do things look for you guys? 2/1 or 1/1/1?

Maymack

Obviously ye don't understand my point. We once had an Offaly man in charge of this country. Look at the damage he did. After that disaster would any other county want an Offaly TD to represent them??? I think not.

mansize

Your point seems to keep changing tbf...