Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)

Obviously, I am affected to a large extent by this Bill. As previous speakers including Deputy Kieran O'Donnell have said, the county of Limerick is to be divided into three different constituencies, Limerick, Limerick city and Kerry North-West Limerick. This will create a great deal of confusion for people in this region and may result in representatives from boundary areas being closer to them than those who represent them.

I would like if the Minister could give us some assurance that these will be the boundaries going into the next election. If not, there will be considerable pressure on representatives in terms of the level of service they provide to their constituents. This would be unfair to representatives and the communities they represent. It would make little sense if we were to have another review and another formation of constituencies. I appeal to any future commission to ensure it puts in place what is being proposed here today.

More than 5,098 of the population of north Kerry will be transferred to the Kerry South constituency. Obviously, I will miss that part of my constituency because I had built up a strong connection with a large number of the electorate there. Many of the communities involved are disappointed that I and other representatives with whom they are familiar will no longer be representing them. However, being transferred to the constituency of Kerry South may not affect them as much as will the transfer of more than 13,000 people from Limerick West to the constituency of Kerry North, given that transfer will take them over a county boundary. I hope the new constituency will be recognised as the constituency of Limerick West and Kerry North. It is important to impress upon the communities of Limerick West that this will be the case and that they will not be isolated. It is not the case that they are being plucked and put into the constituency of Kerry North. Politicians representing that area will be representing a different geographical area and should represent it accordingly.

I have examined precedent in this regard. Coincidentally, during the second and third Dála, Kerry and Limerick West were part of the same constituency. It was an eight-seater at that time and the constituency of Limerick city and Limerick East was a four-seater. In the third Dáil, which was in June 1922 — the first Dáil was in May 1921 — Kerry and Limerick West were one constituency. Thus, there is a precedent for a connection between Kerry and Limerick West. In 1923, Kerry became a seven-seater and Limerick a seven-seater. In a way, it is history repeating itself.

West Limerick has a close affinity with north Kerry, especially in border communities such as Athea and Moyvane. Over the years there has been much to-ing and fro-ing across the border. They have great cultural links through music and dance. West Limerick has a strong literary tradition and poets such as Dáibhí Ó Bruadair and Michael Hartnett had strong connections with north Kerry. In agriculture, both north Kerry and west Limerick are strong dairying areas. Now most of the milk suppliers provide milk to the Kerry group because of the amalgamation of Golden Vale and Kerry. There are bonds among the agricultural community as well.

With regard to infrastructure, the N69 is an important road for both west Limerick and north Kerry. This certainly represents a connection between the two parts of the constituency. The Shannon Estuary also represents a strong bond between the two areas, knitting together both sides of the constituency. Now, with exciting things happening in the Shannon Estuary, including a natural gas project, the new arrangement may provide more focus on this area and on the important land bank in Tarbert and Ballylongford. This will benefit communities in both north Kerry and west Limerick, and will give a new focus to the Shannon Estuary and new hope to Tarbert Island now that the power station is being privatised and taken over by a Spanish company. Certainly, it will lead to a new dynamic within those parts of Kerry and Limerick. For that reason, the new constituency may have many advantages for both communities.

I ask the Minister to refer to the status of the change. Is there certainty that these constituencies will be in place going into the next election? It is important that the position is clarified. Will the commission sit again, with the result that new constituencies will be formed going into the next election? I ask the Minister to reassure us on that point.

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