Meath East (Dáil constituency)

Meath East
Dáil constituency
Outline map
Location of Meath East within Ireland
Major settlements
Current constituency
Created2007
Seats
  • 3 (2007–2024)
  • 4 (2024–)
TDs
  •   Thomas Byrne (FF)
  •   Helen McEntee (FG)
  •   Darren O'Rourke (SF)
  •   Gillian Toole (Ind)
Local government areaCounty Meath
EP constituencyMidlands–North-West

Meath East 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).

History and boundaries

[edit]

It was established by the Electoral (Amendment) Act 2005 when the previous 5-seat Meath constituency was divided into two 3-seat constituencies of Meath East and Meath West.[1] It was first used at the 2007 general election to the 30th Dáil.

It spans the eastern portions of County Meath. It includes Nobber, Slane, Dunboyne, Kells and Ashbourne, the constituency's biggest town.[2]

The Electoral (Amendment) Act 2023 defines the constituency as:[3]

"In the county of Meath, the electoral divisions of:
Drumcondra, Grangegeeth, Killary, in the former Rural District of Ardee No. 2;
Culmullin, Donaghmore, Dunboyne, Dunshaughlin, Kilbrew, Killeen, Kilmore, Rathfeigh, Ratoath, Rodanstown, Skreen, in the former Rural District of Dunshaughlin;
Ardagh, Carrickleck, Ceanannas Mór Rural, Cruicetown, Kilmainham, Maperath, Moybolgue, Moynalty, Newcastle, Newtown, Nobber, Posseckstown, Staholmog, Trohanny, in the former Rural District of Kells;
Ardcath, Duleek, Julianstown, Mellifont, Stamullin, in the former Rural District of Meath;
Ardmulchan, Castletown, Domhnach Phádraig, Kentstown, Painestown, Rathkenny, Slane, Stackallan, Tara, in the former Rural District of Navan;
and Ceannanas Mór Urban."
Changes to the Meath East constituency 2007–present
Years TDs Boundaries Notes
2007–2011 3
In County Meath, the electoral divisions of[1]

Drumcondra, Grangegeeth, Killary, in the former Rural District of Ardee No. 2;

Culmullin, Donaghmore, Dunboyne, Dunshaughlin, Kilbrew, Killeen, Kilmore, Rathfeigh, Ratoath, Rodanstown, Skreen, in the former Rural District of Dunshaughlin;

Ardagh, Carrickleck, Cruicetown, Kilmainham, Moybolgue, Moynalty, Newcastle, Newtown, Nobber, Posseckstown, Trohanny, in the former Rural District of Kells;

Ardcath, Duleek, Julianstown, Mellifont, St. Mary's (part), Stamullin, in the former Rural District of Meath;

Ardmulchan, Castletown, Domhnach Phádraig, Kentstown, Painestown, Rathkenny, Slane, Stackallan, Tara, in the former Rural District of Navan.
 Created from Meath[4]
2011–2020 3
In County Meath, the electoral divisions of[5][6]

Drumcondra, Grangegeeth, Killary, in the former Rural District of Ardee No. 2;

Culmullin, Donaghmore, Dunboyne, Dunshaughlin, Kilbrew, Killeen, Kilmore, Rathfeigh, Ratoath, Rodanstown, Skreen, in the former Rural District of Dunshaughlin;

Ardagh, Carrickleck, Ceanannas Mór Rural, Cruicetown, Kilmainham, Maperath, Moybolgue, Moynalty, Newcastle, Newtown, Nobber, Posseckstown, Staholmog, Trohanny, in the former Rural District of Kells;

Ardcath, Duleek, Mellifont, Stamullin, in the former Rural District of Meath;

Ardmulchan, Castletown, Domhnach Phádraig, Kentstown, Painestown, Rathkenny, Slane, Stackallan, Tara, in the former Rural District of Navan;

and the town of Kells.
Transfer from Meath West of[7][8]
Ceanannas Mór Urban, and of Ceanannas Mór Rural, Maperath and Staholmog in the former Rural District of Kells;
and transfer to Louth of
Julianstown and St. Mary’s (part in County Meath) in the former Rural District of Meath.
2020–2024 3
In County Meath, the electoral divisions of[9]

Grangegeeth, Killary, in the former Rural District of Ardee No. 2;

Culmullin, Donaghmore, Dunboyne, Dunshaughlin, Kilbrew, Killeen, Kilmore, Rathfeigh, Ratoath, Rodanstown, Skreen, in the former Rural District of Dunshaughlin;

Ceanannas Mór Rural, Cruicetown, Maperath, Moynalty, Newcastle, Newtown, Nobber, Staholmog, in the former Rural District of Kells;

Ardcath, Duleek, Mellifont, Stamullin, in the former Rural District of Meath;

Ardmulchan, Castletown, Domhnach Phádraig, Kentstown, Painestown, Rathkenny, Slane, Stackallan, Tara, in the former Rural District of Navan;

and Ceannanas Mór Urban.
Transfer to Cavan–Monaghan of[10]

Ardagh, Carrickleck, Kilmainhamm, Moybolgue, Posseckstown and Trohanny, in the former Rural District of Kells,

and Drumcondra in the former Rural District of Ardee No. 2.


2024– 4
In County Meath, the electoral divisions of[3]

Drumcondra, Grangegeeth, Killary, in the former Rural District of Ardee No. 2;

Culmullin, Donaghmore, Dunboyne, Dunshaughlin, Kilbrew, Killeen, Kilmore, Rathfeigh, Ratoath, Rodanstown, Skreen, in the former Rural District of Dunshaughlin;

Ardagh, Carrickleck, Ceanannas Mór Rural, Cruicetown, Kilmainham, Maperath, Moybolgue, Moynalty, Newcastle, Newtown, Nobber, Posseckstown, Staholmog, Trohanny, in the former Rural District of Kells;

Ardcath, Duleek, Julianstown, Mellifont, Stamullin, in the former Rural District of Meath;

Ardmulchan, Castletown, Domhnach Phádraig, Kentstown, Painestown, Rathkenny, Slane, Stackallan, Tara, in the former Rural District of Navan;

and Ceannanas Mór Urban.
Transfer from Cavan–Monaghan of

Ardagh, Carrickleck, Kilmainhamm, Moybolgue, Posseckstown and Trohanny, in the former Rural District of Kells,

and Drumcondra in the former Rural District of Ardee No. 2.

and the transfer from Louth of Julianstown, in the former Rural District of Meath.[11]

TDs

[edit]
Teachtaí Dála (TDs) for Meath East 2007–
Key to parties
Dáil Election Deputy
(Party)		 Deputy
(Party)		 Deputy
(Party)		 Deputy
(Party)
30th 2007[12] Thomas Byrne
(FF) 		Mary Wallace
(FF) 		Shane McEntee
(FG) 		3 seats
2007–2024
31st 2011[13] Dominic Hannigan
(Lab) 		Regina Doherty
(FG)
2013 by-election[14] Helen McEntee
(FG)
32nd 2016[15] Thomas Byrne
(FF)
33rd 2020[16] Darren O'Rourke
(SF)
34th 2024[17] Gillian Toole
(Ind)

Note: The columns in this table are used only for presentational purposes, and no significance should be attached to the order of columns. For details of the order in which seats were won at each election, see the detailed results of that election.

Elections

[edit]

^ *: Outgoing TD

2024 general election

[edit]
2024 general election: Meath East[17][18]
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
Fine Gael Helen McEntee 19.9 9,957 9,959 9,959 9,996 10,006                
Sinn Féin Darren O'Rourke 16.4 8,175 8,177 8,184 8,228 8,272 8,325 8,666 9,095 9,821 12,786      
Fianna Fáil Thomas Byrne 12.8 6,403 6,405 6,407 6,425 6,432 6,527 6,546 6,855 7,363 7,437 7,520 9,665 10,525
Independent Gillian Toole 8.9 4,459 4,483 4,491 4,549 4,707 4,749 4,859 5,211 5,952 6,091 6,717 7,194 8,953
Aontú Emer Tóibín 6.6 3,281 3,285 3,306 3,341 3,608 3,633 3,721 3,871 4,165 4,289 4,785 5,027  
Fianna Fáil Caroline O'Reilly 6.5 3,223 3,223 3,225 3,248 3,257 3,304 3,335 3,601 3,870 3,918 3,996    
Fine Gael Sharon Tolan 6.4 3,176 3,178 3,184 3,206 3,210 3,309 3,330 3,747 4,135 4,232 4,389 5,043 5,482
Sinn Féin Maria White 5.8 2,894 2,900 2,903 2,917 2,939 2,951 3,264 3,568 3,657        
Independent Joseph Bonner 5.5 2,771 2,781 2,787 2,929 3,028 3,080 3,173 3,477          
Labour Eilish Balfe 4.1 2,048 2,050 2,051 2,076 2,089 2,440 2,882            
PBP–Solidarity Clara McCormack[a] 2.7 1,380 1,381 1,383 1,434 1,458 1,536              
Green Ruadháin Bonham 1.7 845 848 849 874 875                
National Party Jean Murray 1.3 652 653 704 720                  
Party for Animal Welfare Carolyn Fahy 0.4 207 209 210                    
Independent Charles Bobbett 0.4 186 189 190                    
Independent Sivakumar Murugadoss 0.3 135 140 141                    
Liberty Republic Barbara Reid 0.2 119 121                      
Independent Raymond Westlake 0.1 72                        
Electorate: 84,272   Valid: 49,983   Spoilt: 338   Quota: 9,997   Turnout: 59.7%  
  1. ^ McCormack is a member of People Before Profit.

2020 general election

[edit]
2020 general election: Meath East[16][19][20][21][22]
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Sinn Féin Darren O'Rourke 24.4 10,223 10,617          
Fine Gael Helen McEntee[*] 18.3 7,691 7,856 8,123 8,333 8,937 9,416 12,984
Fianna Fáil Thomas Byrne[*] 14.4 6,039 6,095 6,348 7,637 8,222 8,999 9,622
Fine Gael Regina Doherty[*] 10.0 4,180 4,272 4,330 4,505 4,643 5,122  
Green Seán McCabe 7.8 3,251 3,756 4,036 4,167 4,677 5,999 6,547
Independent Joe Bonner 7.0 2,934 3,053 3,240 3,338 4,037    
Independent Sharon Keogan 5.9 2,475 2,570 2,939 3,024      
Fianna Fáil Deirdre Geraghty-Smith 4.6 1,941 1,977 2,047        
Aontú Emer Tóibín 3.9 1,634 1,705          
Labour Annie Hoey 2.1 874            
Solidarity–PBP Andrew Keegan[a] 1.4 569            
Workers' Party Seamus McDonagh 0.3 134            
Electorate: 66,507   Valid: 41,945   Spoilt: 253   Quota: 10,487   Turnout: 42,198 (63.4%)  
  1. ^ Keegan was a member of People Before Profit.

2016 general election

[edit]
2016 general election: Meath East[23][24][15]
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Fianna Fáil Thomas Byrne 26.1 10,818                
Fine Gael Helen McEntee[*] 18.3 7,556 7,656 7,671 7,749 7,841 7,887 8,237 8,435 9,958
Fine Gael Regina Doherty[*] 16.5 6,830 6,889 6,899 6,979 7,064 7,109 7,247 7,477 9,612
Sinn Féin Darren O'Rourke 14.0 5,780 5,860 5,970 6,017 6,096 6,341 6,637 7,236 8,556
Independent Joe Bonner 6.0 2,482 2,527 2,545 2,600 2,665 2,857 3,215 3,825  
Labour Dominic Hannigan[*] 5.5 2,270 2,307 2,325 2,350 2,494 2,525 2,680 3,084  
Social Democrats Aisling O'Neill 4.1 1,715 1,740 1,801 1,885 2,148 2,300 2,463    
Independent Sharon Keogan 3.7 1,528 1,579 1,600 1,663 1,709 1,805      
Direct Democracy Ben Gilroy 1.9 794 809 841 876 899        
Green Seán Ó Buachalla 1.9 766 784 801 853          
Renua Sarah Tyrrell 1.3 523 554 563            
Workers' Party Seamus McDonagh 0.8 326 335              
Electorate: 65,588   Valid: 41,388   Spoilt: 240   Quota: 10,348   Turnout: 63.5%  

2013 by-election

[edit]

Fine Gael TD Shane McEntee died on 21 December 2012. A by-election was held to fill the vacancy on 27 March 2013. The seat was won by his daughter Helen McEntee.

2013 by-election: Meath East[14]
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3
Fine Gael Helen McEntee 38.5 9,356 9,547 11,473
Fianna Fáil Thomas Byrne 32.9 8,002 8,106 9,582
Sinn Féin Darren O'Rourke 13.0 3,165 3,370  
Direct Democracy Ben Gilroy 6.5 1,568 1,793  
Labour Eoin Holmes 4.6 1,112 1,245  
Green Seán Ó Buachalla 1.7 423    
Workers' Party Seamus McDonagh 1.1 263    
Independent Mick Martin 0.8 190    
Independent Charlie Keddy 0.5 110    
Independent Gerard O'Brien 0.3 73    
Independent Jim Tallon 0.2 47    
Electorate: 64,164   Valid: 24,309   Spoilt: 259   Quota: 12,155   Turnout: 38.3%  

2011 general election

[edit]
2011 general election: Meath East[13]
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4
Labour Dominic Hannigan 21.0 8,994 9,383 9,669 12,382
Fine Gael Shane McEntee[*] 20.6 8,794 8,994 9,142 10,143
Fine Gael Regina Doherty 20.3 8,677 8,858 9,305 10,447
Fianna Fáil Thomas Byrne[*] 13.4 5,715 5,892 7,354 8,173
Sinn Féin Michael Gallagher 8.9 3,795 3,958 4,025  
Independent Joe Bonner 5.8 2,479 2,866 3,074  
Fianna Fáil Nick Killian 6.2 2,669 2,719    
New Vision Sharon Keogan 2.7 1,168      
Green Seán Ó Buachalla 1.1 461      
Electorate: 64,873   Valid: 42,752   Spoilt: 346 (0.8%)   Quota: 10,689   Turnout: 43,098 (66.4%)  

2007 general election

[edit]
2007 general election: Meath East[12]
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Fianna Fáil Mary Wallace[*] 25.3 10,901              
Fianna Fáil Thomas Byrne 18.2 7,834 7,866 8,267 8,469 8,628 9,079 9,770 10,077
Fine Gael Shane McEntee[*] 15.7 6,766 6,789 6,877 6,941 7,106 7,351 7,870 11,619
Labour Dominic Hannigan 11.9 5,136 5,193 5,337 5,575 6,095 6,554 7,247 8,596
Fine Gael Regina Doherty 10.1 4,363 4,377 4,508 4,764 4,992 5,164 5,972  
Independent Brian Fitzgerald 6.0 2,586 2,617 2,659 2,816 3,008 3,334    
Sinn Féin Joanne Finnegan 3.9 1,695 1,723 1,762 1,859 2,008      
Green Seán Ó Buachalla 3.1 1,330 1,355 1,417 1,547        
Independent Joseph Bonner 2.7 1,170 1,195 1,223          
Progressive Democrats Sirena Campbell 2.2 957 983            
Independent A. J. Cahill 0.6 269              
Electorate: 67,443   Valid: 43,007   Spoilt: 359 (0.8%)   Quota: 10,752   Turnout: 43,366 (64.3%)  

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Electoral (Amendment) Act 2005, Schedule (No. 16 of 2005, Schedule). Act of the Oireachtas. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 25 August 2022.
  2. ^ "Meath East and Meath West" (PDF). Government of Ireland. Tailte Éireann. 8 December 2024.
  3. ^ a b Electoral (Amendment) Act 2023, Schedule (No. 40 of 2023, Schedule). Enacted on 19 December 2023. Act of the Oireachtas. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 16 February 2024.
  4. ^ "Report on Dáil Constituencies, 2004" (PDF). Constituency Commission. pp. 26–27. Archived (PDF) from the original on 24 January 2022. Retrieved 25 August 2022.
  5. ^ Electoral (Amendment) Act 2009, Schedule (No. 4 of 2009, Schedule). Enacted on 24 February 2009. Act of the Oireachtas. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 25 August 2022.
  6. ^ Electoral (Amendment) (Dáil Constituencies) Act 2013, Schedule (No. 7 of 2013, Schedule). Act of the Oireachtas. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 25 August 2022.
  7. ^ "Report on Dáil and European Parliament Constituencies 2007" (PDF). Constituency Commission. 23 October 2007. p. 64. Archived (PDF) from the original on 19 November 2007. Retrieved 25 August 2022.
  8. ^ "Constituency Commission Report 2012: Dáil and European Parliament Constituencies" (PDF). Constituency Commission. 21 June 2012. p. 15. Archived (PDF) from the original on 13 July 2022. Retrieved 25 August 2022.
  9. ^ Electoral (Amendment) (Dáil Constituencies) Act 2017, Schedule (No. 39 of 2017, Schedule). Enacted on 23 December 2017. Act of the Oireachtas. Archived from the original on 18 July 2018. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 25 August 2022.
  10. ^ "Constituency Commission Report 2017: Dáil and European Parliament Constituencies" (PDF). Constituency Commission. 27 June 2017. p. 69. Archived (PDF) from the original on 8 March 2022. Retrieved 25 August 2022.
  11. ^ "Constituency Review Report 2023" (PDF). Electoral Commission. pp. 62–63, 132. Archived (PDF) from the original on 30 August 2023. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
  12. ^ a b "General election 2007: Meath East". ElectionsIreland.org. Archived from the original on 18 January 2021. Retrieved 26 April 2010.
  13. ^ a b "General election 2011: Meath East". ElectionsIreland.org. Archived from the original on 26 February 2011. Retrieved 27 February 2011.
  14. ^ a b "By-election 2013: Meath East". ElectionsIreland.org. Archived from the original on 17 June 2013. Retrieved 28 March 2013.
  15. ^ a b "General election 2016: Meath East". ElectionsIreland.org. Archived from the original on 22 February 2016. Retrieved 23 February 2016.
  16. ^ a b "General election 2020: Meath East". ElectionsIreland.org. Archived from the original on 18 February 2020. Retrieved 9 February 2020.
  17. ^ a b "General election 2024: Meath East". ElectionsIreland.org. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
  18. ^ "General Election 2024 Results – Meath East". RTÉ News. December 2024. Retrieved 7 December 2024.
  19. ^ "General Election 2020 Results – Meath East". RTÉ News. Archived from the original on 13 February 2020. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
  20. ^ "Meath East: 2020 General Election". Irelandelection.com. Archived from the original on 23 May 2020. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
  21. ^ Bowers, Shauna (10 February 2020) [9 February 2020]. "Meath East results: SF tops the poll while FG's Regina Doherty loses seat; Minister for Social Protection comes in fifth in three-seater". The Irish Times. Dublin. Archived from the original on 9 June 2021. Retrieved 8 June 2021.
  22. ^ "Election 2020: Meath East". The Irish Times. Dublin. 10 February 2020. Archived from the original on 9 June 2021. Retrieved 8 June 2021.
  23. ^ "Meath East Results 2016". Irelandelection.com. Archived from the original on 20 January 2020. Retrieved 20 January 2020.
  24. ^ "Meath East Results 2016". RTÉ. Archived from the original on 15 March 2019. Retrieved 20 January 2020.

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