Johnny Brady (Meath West, Fianna Fail)

Unfortunately this time I am getting no extra ground which is very unfair. In the new European constituencies, most of Meath West is in the Ireland East constituency and part of the Meath West constituency — the Coole area of Westmeath — will be in the Ireland North-West constituency, which is also very unfair to the people of that area.

Section 6(2)(f) also states: "subject to the provisions of this section, the Commission shall endeavour to maintain continuity in relation to the arrangement of constituencies". The Electoral Act 1997 also recommends that "the breaching of county boundaries shall be avoided as far as practicable". On behalf of the people I have represented in this House for the past 11 years I ask why north Meath should be subjected to such divisive and unfair decisions for electoral purposes.

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