| Dublin South-West | |
| Type: | Dáil |
| Year: | 1981 |
| Map Entity: | County Dublin |
| Map Size: | 150px |
| Members Label: | TDs |
| Local Council Label: | Local government area |
| Blank1 Name: | EP constituency |
| Blank1 Info: | Dublin |
| Dublin South-West | |
| Type: | Dáil |
| Year: | 1948 |
| Abolished: | 1977 |
| Local Council Label: | Local government area |
| Local Council: | Dublin City |
| Previous: | Dublin South |
| Next: | Dublin Ballyfermot |
Dublin South-West is a parliamentary constituency represented in Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament or Oireachtas. The constituency elects five deputies (Teachtaí Dála, commonly known as TDs) on the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote (PR-STV).
The constituency leans towards left-wing parties such as the Labour Party and Sinn Féin. Both Labour Party TDs elected in 2011 had been members of other left-wing parties: Pat Rabbitte of the Workers' Party and Democratic Left, and Eamonn Maloney was a member of the Jim Kemmy's Democratic Socialist Party. With the departure of Brian Hayes in 2014, upon the election of Paul Murphy of the Anti-Austerity Alliance in the 2014 by-election, the constituency was entirely represented by four left-of-centre TDs until the 2016 election.
The constituency is noted for its volatility: in three consecutive general elections, the poll topper from the previous election lost his seat, Brian Hayes in 2002, Seán Crowe in 2007 and Conor Lenihan in 2011.[1]
The first constituency of this name was created by the Electoral (Amendment) Act 1947. It was based in Dublin city and was in use at elections from 1948 to 1977.[2]
| + Changes to the Dublin South-West constituency 1948–1977 | ||||
| Years | TDs | Boundaries | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1948–1961 | 5 | The Crumlin, Kilmainham, Kimmage and Terenure Wards, the portion of the Rathfarnham Ward which is not included in the borough constituency of Dublin South-East and the portion of the Rathmines West Ward which is not included in the borough constituency of Dublin South-East.[3] | Created from Dublin South | |
| 1961–1969 | 5 | The Crumlin, Crumlin West, Kimmage, Rathmines West and Terenure wards and the part of the Ballyfermot ward lying to the south-east of a line drawn along the main Dublin to Cork railway.[4] | Transfer of Kilmainhan to Dublin South-Central; transfer of part of Rathfarnham to Dublin South-East; transfer of remainder of Rathmines West from Dublin South-East. | |
| 1969–1977 | 4 | The Ballyfermot, Crumlin and Kilmainham Wards; that part of Crumlin West ward situated within a line drawn as follows: commencing at the junction of Windmill Road with St. Mary's Road, thence commencing in a north-easterly direction and proceeding along the ward boundary to the starting point; and that part of Merchants Quay ward lying south of a line drawn as follows: commencing at the intersection of South Circular Road by the ward boundary, thence in a south-easterly direction along South Circular Road to its junction with Dolphin Avenue, thence in a southerly direction along Dolphin Avenue and its imaginary southerly projection to its intersection by the ward boundary.[5] | Transfer of balance of Ballyfermot from Dublin County; transfer of part of Crumlin West, Rathmines West and Terenure to Dublin South-Central; transfer of Kilmainham and part of Merchants Quay from Dublin South-Central. | |
| 1977 | — | Constituency abolished | Transfer of parts of Ballyfermot, Crumlin and Kilmainham to Dublin Ballyfermot; transfer of part of Merchants Quay and Kilmainham to Dublin South-Central; transfer of part of Ballyfermot and Crumlin to Dublin County West.[6] |
A second constituency of this name was created by the Electoral (Amendment) Act 1980, and has been in use since the 1981 general election. It was in a different area to the 1948–1977 constituency, being based in County Dublin (South Dublin, after the division of County Dublin in 1994), in the areas of Clondalkin, Newcastle, Rathcoole, Saggart, Tallaght, Templeogue, and parts of Terenure. At the 2002 election, it was reduced in size and electorate, losing territory — including Newcastle, Rathcoole, Saggart and Clondalkin — to the new Dublin Mid-West constituency.[7] Major areas today include Rathfarnham, Tallaght, and Templeogue, with the surrounding suburbs of Ballyboden, Ballyroan, Butterfield, Firhouse, Greenhills, Knocklyon, Willbrook, and parts of Terenure. At the 2016 general election, it gained a seat to become a five-seat constituency, with the addition of part of the former Dublin South constituency, around Rathfarnham.[8]
The Constituency Review Report 2023 of the Electoral Commission recommended that at the next general election Dublin South-West be altered by the transfer of territory from Dublin South-Central and the transfer of territory to Dublin Mid-West.[9] [10]
For the 2024 general election, the Electoral (Amendment) Act 2023 defines the constituency as:[11]
| + Changes to the Dublin South-West constituency 1981–present | ||||
| Years | TDs | Boundaries | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1981–1987 | 4 | New constituency, created by the transfer of Clondalkin Number One, Clondalkin Number Two, Newcastle, Rathcoole and Saggart from Dublin County West; and of Tallaght Number Two, Tallaght Number Three, Terenure Number Three, Terenure Number Four, and part of Tallaght Number One from Dublin County Mid. | ||
| 1987–1992 | 4 | Transfer of Terenure No. 3 to Dublin South-Central.[12] | ||
| 1992–2002 | 5 | Increase in district magnitude with no change in area.[13] [14] New definitions of DEDs.[15] | ||
| 2002–2007 | 4 | Transfer of Firhouse and Bohernabreena from Dublin South, transfer of the Saggart and Rathcoole areas to Dublin Mid-West. Population swop with Dublin South-Central to secure an eastern boundary bounded largely by the M50, Greenhills Road and Templeville Road.[16] | ||
| 2007–2016 | 4 | Transfer from Dublin South of remainder of Firhouse Village.[17] | ||
| 2016– | 5 | Transfer of Ballyboden, Edmondstown, Firhouse-Ballycullen, Firhouse-Knocklyon, Rathfarnham-Ballyroan, Rathfarnham-Butterfield, Rathfarnham-Hermitage, Rathfarnham-St. Endas and Rathfarnham-Village from former Dublin South.[18] [19] |
Note that the boundaries of Dublin South-West from 1981 onwards share no common territory with the pre-1977 boundaries. See §History and boundaries
Brian Hayes was elected for Dublin at the 2014 European Parliament election on 23 May 2014, vacating his Dáil seat. A writ of election to fill the vacancy was moved on 17 September 2014.[20] A by-election was held on 10 October 2014.[21]
Fianna Fáil TD Noel Lemass died on 13 April 1976. A by-election was held to fill the vacancy on 10 June 1976.
Labour Party TD Seán Dunne died on 25 June 1969, before the first sitting of the 19th Dáil on 2 July. A by-election was held on 4 March 1970.
Fianna Fáil TD Bernard Butler died on 13 March 1959. A by-election was held to fill the vacancy on 22 July 1959.
Fine Gael TD Peadar Doyle died on 4 August 1956. A by-election to fill the vacancy was held on 14 November 1956.