Jimmy Devins (Sligo-North Leitrim, Fianna Fail)

I thank Deputy Byrne for sharing time. The Constituency Commission is independent and, with the history of gerrymandering that went on in this country, it is vitally important that it remains so. At the same time, some anomalies have arisen.

I refer to the north west and particularly Sligo-North Leitrim. When I was first elected to the House, the constituency was Sligo-Leitrim, a four-seater that had consistently returned a Deputy from Leitrim. In the 2007 election County Leitrim was divided into Sligo-North Leitrim and Roscommon-South Leitrim. Arising from the 2007 election, no Deputy based in Leitrim was elected. Since then many Leitrim people have made representations to me about the lack of a Leitrim-based Deputy. The integrity of county boundaries should be a priority for the Constituency Commission and I ask that, in any future electoral revisions, due consideration be given to maintaining the integrity of county boundaries. It is an honour to serve the people of Sligo-North Leitrim but, having said that, as the smallest county in Ireland Leitrim should have the ability to elect a Deputy based in the county.

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