Joe O'Reilly (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

In the three minutes at my disposal I register my concern and protest that County Cavan will lose 13,000 voters when the west Cavan electoral area is removed from County Cavan. Effectively, this is being done to respond to the reasonably held concerns of the Leitrim people. When Leitrim was divided, various associations there expressed their annoyance and made representations. Rightly so. I am disappointed that the solution to the Leitrim problem, which was a legitimate concern, is the dismemberment of the division of County Cavan. The county structure is sacrosanct. It is the structure to which we relate in football and in every sphere of activity. For administrative purposes those 13,183 voters in west Cavan will come under Cavan County Council yet will not be represented by Cavan-Monaghan representatives in the House. That is a huge concern and will make for duplication and isolation of that area. It breaks up the county structure and is unwelcome.

I understand the reunification of County Leitrim. I also understand its angst and annoyance in the past at its dismemberment and break up but the solution should not be the break up of Cavan. Councillors from west Cavan will be on Cavan County Council; for part of County Cavan there will be a different set of Dáil Deputies, albeit very eminent figures, including the Minister of State, Deputy John Perry, in front of me, from the other constituency who will represent a section of Cavan and Cavan will have a certain representative role. For example, as my colleagues Deputy Heather Humphreys, Deputy Seán Conlan and I would get representations continuously from west Cavan with Cavan implications on infrastructure and the same representations would be duplicated in Sligo-Leitrim it makes for administrative mayhem, a lack of cohesion and a lack of unity. That is a bad outcome and I ask that it be altered in the short term. If it is not to be altered in the short term it needs to be altered in the long term as it affects the homogenous nature of the county and efforts to get inward investment in the county conducted at countywide level will be frustrated.

It causes duplicity and a lack of coherence.

I appreciate the time allowed for my contribution. I wish to register my annoyance, displeasure and concern about the breaking up of my county and the removal of an entire electoral division and 13,183 voters. This will result in a constituency of ridiculous length and proportions.

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