| Clare | |
| Type: | Dáil |
| Year: | 1921 |
| Map4: | Clare (Dáil constituency) 2024.svg |
| Map Entity: | Ireland |
| Map Size: | 200px |
| Members Label: | TDs |
| Local Council Label: | Local government area |
| Local Council: | County Clare |
| Blank1 Name: | EP constituency |
| Blank1 Info: | South |
Clare is a parliamentary constituency represented in Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament or Oireachtas. The constituency elects four deputies (Teachtaí Dála, commonly known as TDs) on the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote (PR-STV).
Clare is historically a Fianna Fáil stronghold. The party founder Éamon de Valera served the constituency for 38 years, from 1921 to 1959, for many years of that time as Taoiseach and then, on his resignation as a TD, as president of Ireland. From 1917 to 1922 he had been Sinn Féin Westminster MP for the preceding constituency of East Clare. His granddaughter, Síle de Valera, represented the constituency from 1987 to 2007. Other notable former deputies include Patrick Hillery (later president 1976–1990), the long-serving Ceann Comhairle (chairperson of the Dáil) Patrick Hogan and Moosajee Bhamjee, the first Muslim TD.
The constituency was created by the Government of Ireland Act 1920 and has been in use for Dáil elections since the 1921 election. The constituency's boundaries have varied since its formation in 1921. From the 2020 general election, the constituency spans the entire area of County Clare. The Constituency Review Report 2023 of the Electoral Commission recommended that no change be made at the next general election.[1] The Electoral (Amendment) Act 2023 defines the constituency as:
| +Changes to the Clare constituency | ||||
| Years | TDs | Boundaries | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1921–1923 | 4 | County Clare.[2] | Constituency created from East Clare and West Clare | |
| 1923–1937 | 5 | County Clare.[3] | ||
| 1937–1948 | 5 | County Clare; and in County Galway,[4] | Transfer from former constituency of Galway | |
| 1948–1969 | 4 | County Clare.[5] [6] | ||
| 1969–1977 | 3 | County Clare, except the part in the constituency of Clare–South Galway.[7] | ||
| 1977–1981 | 3 | County Clare, except the part in the constituency of West Galway.[8] | ||
| 1981–1992 | 4 | County Clare.[9] [10] | Transfer from Galway West | |
| 1992–2011 | 4 | County Clare, except the part in the constituency of Limerick East.[11] [12] [13] [14] | ||
| 2011–2020 | 4 | County Clare, except the part in the constituency of Limerick City.[15] [16] | ||
| 2020– | 4 | County Clare.[17] [18] | Transfer from Limerick City |
Following the death of Fine Gael TD William Murphy, a by-election was held on 14 March 1968. The seat was won by the Fianna Fáil candidate Sylvester Barrett. The surplus votes of the elected candidate were distributed after being declared elected because there was a possibility another candidate could have reached the threshold of a third of a quota which would have meant their election deposit was returned to them.
The reason for the third count was the possibility of a candidate reaching a third of the quota in order to save their deposit.
Following the election of Éamon de Valera as President of Ireland, a by-election was held on 22 July 1959. The seat was won by the Fianna Fáil candidate Seán Ó Ceallaigh.
The third count occurred because there was the possibility that surplus votes of elected candidates could have resulted in another candidate reaching the threshold of a third of a quota which would have meant their election deposit was returned to them.
Following the death of Fine Gael TD Patrick Burke, a by-election was held on 4 December 1945. The seat was won by the Fianna Fáil candidate Patrick Shanahan.
Hughes, Seán Hogan and Halpin were eliminated on successive counts, but separate figures for the 3rd and 4th Counts are not available.
There is no record of any further counts, even though the difference between the votes of Hogan, the last elected candidate, and Shalloo, the runner up, after the seventh count was less than the sum of the undistributed surpluses.
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