Louth is a parliamentary constituency represented in Dáil Éireann , the lower house of the Irish parliament or Oireachtas . The constituency elects 5 deputies (Teachtaí Dála , commonly known as TDs). The method of election is the single transferable vote form of proportional representation (PR-STV).
History and boundaries
The constituency was created under the terms of the Electoral Act 1923 , and first used at the 1923 general election . It was a 3-seat constituency from 1923 until 1977, when it was increased to 4 seats. The boundaries were last amended in October 2007 to include an area of County Meath known as East Meath adjacent to the town of Drogheda .[ 1]
The Report on Dáil and European Parliament Constituencies 2007 outlined "by extending the constituency southwards from, and in the environs of, Drogheda and taking in electoral divisions which have extensive linkages with the town. This will allow the inclusion of the town of Drogheda and hinterland areas in a single constituency."
The constituency spans the entire area of the smallest county in Ireland and East Meath , taking in Dundalk , Drogheda , Laytown-Bettystown-Mornington and Ardee .[ 2]
At the 2011 general election the number of seats was increased to 5.[ 3] [ 4]
The Electoral (Amendment) (Dáil Constituencies) Act 2013 defines the constituency as:[ 5]
"The county of Louth;
and, in the county of Meath, the electoral divisions of:
Julianstown, St. Mary’s (part), in the former Rural District of Meath ."
TDs
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
2016 general election
2016 general election : Louth[ 36]
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
Fianna Fáil
Declan Breathnach
13.47%
9,099
9,146
9,220
9,609
9,931
12,192
Sinn Féin
Gerry Adams
15.79%
10,661
10,774
10,826
10,908
11,096
11,278
Sinn Féin
Imelda Munster
13.07%
8,829
9,061
9,103
9,224
9,356
9,563
9,712
9,995
10,992
13,029
Fine Gael
Fergus O'Dowd
10.09%
6,814
6,838
6,943
7,271
7,418
7,586
7,680
8,115
8,827
9,124
9,256
Fine Gael
Peter Fitzpatrick
9.49%
6,408
6,417
6,591
6,693
6,969
7,113
7,206
7,977
8,231
8,931
9,132
Labour
Ged Nash
7.32%
4,945
4,976
5,293
5,472
5,593
5,760
5,895
6,715
7,888
8,454
8,746
AAA–PBP
Garrett Weldon
5.13%
3,462
3,644
3,690
3,816
4,468
4,586
4,675
5,588
6,290
Independent
Kevin Callan
5.24%
3,541
3,683
3,701
4,030
4,388
4,592
4,779
5,224
Green
Mark Dearey
4.72%
3,187
3,225
3,363
3,530
4,099
4,327
4,517
Fianna Fáil
Emma Coffey
5.07%
3,422
3,442
3,496
3,622
3,819
Independent
Maeve Yore
4.07%
2,746
2,814
2,953
3,138
Renua
Michael O'Dowd
3.10%
2,095
2,219
2,242
Labour
Mary Moran
1.77%
1,198
1,211
Direct Democracy
Anthony Connor
1.00%
676
Independent
David Bradley
0.47%
319
Direct Democracy
Pat Greene
0.19%
127
Electorate: 104,696 Valid: 79,273 Spoilt: 749 Quota: 11,255 Turnout: 68,278 (65.22%)
2011 general election
2011 general election : Louth[ 35]
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
Ceann Comhairle
Séamus Kirk
Automatically returned
N/A
Sinn Féin
Gerry Adams
21.7
15,072
Fine Gael
Fergus O'Dowd
20.2
13,980
Labour
Ged Nash
12.6
8,718
8,942
8,948
8,984
8,998
9,037
9,098
9,404
9,821
10,480
10,658
14,620
Fine Gael
Peter Fitzpatrick
11.3
7,845
7,998
8,002
8,052
8,069
8,130
8,177
8,475
8,982
9,930
10,626
11,770
12,323
Fianna Fáil
James Carroll
8.2
5,681
5,749
5,751
5,759
5,774
5,792
5,803
5,987
6,481
6,769
10,711
11,185
11,388
Labour
Mary Moran
6.6
4,546
4,738
4,742
4,747
4,748
4,808
4,908
5,124
5,436
6,430
6,974
Fianna Fáil
Declan Breathnach
7.5
5,177
5,245
5,245
5,247
5,263
5,285
5,297
5,373
5,603
6,001
Green
Mark Dearey
4.7
3,244
3,358
3,362
3,366
3,374
3,421
3,506
3,672
3,939
New Vision
Thomas Clare
3.2
2,233
2,318
2,324
2,328
2,390
2,456
2,569
3,024
Independent
Fred Matthews
1.4
957
1,004
1,013
1,015
1,024
1,089
1,207
Independent
Frank Godfrey
0.8
649
714
727
731
754
781
829
Independent
Robin Wilson
0.3
536
592
597
598
610
692
Independent
Luke Martin
0.3
224
289
293
293
300
Independent
Gerry Crilly
0.3
222
252
254
254
267
Independent
David Bradley
0.3
174
211
215
215
Independent
Robert Glynn
0.1
61
65
Electorate: 99,530 Valid: 69,319 Spoilt: 871 (1.2%) Quota: 13,864 Turnout: 70,190 (70.5%)
2007 general election
2007 general election : Louth[ 34]
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
5
6
Fianna Fáil
Séamus Kirk
18.5
10,190
10,225
10,400
10,457
11,696
Fianna Fáil
Dermot Ahern
18.1
9,982
10,020
10,375
10,500
11,321
Fine Gael
Fergus O'Dowd
15.2
8,387
8,421
8,738
10,208
11,036
Sinn Féin
Arthur Morgan
15.0
8,274
8,385
8,596
8,836
8,989
10,556
Fine Gael
Mairead McGuinness
9.5
5,199
5,228
6,240
6,503
6,550
8,847
Green
Mark Dearey
7.6
4,172
4,296
4,711
5,118
5,225
Fianna Fáil
Frank Maher
5.5
3,009
3,031
3,045
3,287
Labour
Ged Nash
5.0
2,739
2,786
2,856
Fine Gael
Jim D'Arcy
4.7
2,573
2,596
Workers' Party of Ireland
Peter Short
0.4
193
Fathers Rights
Luke Martin
0.3
169
Independent
Dermot Duke
0.2
127
Electorate: 86,007 Valid: 55,014 Spoilt: 592 (1.1%) Quota: 11,003 Turnout: 55,606 (64.7%)
2002 general election
2002 general election : Louth[ 33]
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Fianna Fáil
Dermot Ahern
20.2
9,603
Fine Gael
Fergus O'Dowd
11.6
5,505
5,540
5,686
5,688
6,098
6,346
7,740
10,175
Fianna Fáil
Séamus Kirk
13.6
6,495
6,561
6,768
6,811
6,993
7,644
7,960
9,987
Sinn Féin
Arthur Morgan
14.9
7,121
7,275
7,488
7,495
7,805
8,474
8,992
9,477
Fine Gael
Terry Brennan
8.7
4,130
4,207
4,442
4,449
4,670
5,394
6,046
6,133
Fianna Fáil
Frank Maher
9.8
4,653
4,668
4,807
4,811
4,946
5,018
5,643
Labour
Michael Bell
6.7
3,185
3,237
3,388
3,391
3,732
4,117
Independent
Mary Grehan
5.0
2,384
2,496
3,021
3,030
3,521
Green
Bernadette Martin
4.2
1,979
2,109
2,306
2,309
Independent
Martin Bellew
2.7
1,307
1,410
Independent
Frank Godfrey
1.0
473
502
Independent
Aidan Mahon
0.6
294
Independent
Liam Ó Gogain
0.5
239
Workers' Party of Ireland
Peter Short
0.4
176
Christian Solidarity
Michael Maguire
0.2
79
Electorate: 81,952 Valid: 47,623 Spoilt: 651 (1.4%) Quota: 9,525 Turnout: 48,274 (58.9%)
1997 general election
1997 general election : Louth[ 32]
Party
Candidate
1st Pref
%
Seat
Count
Fianna Fáil
Dermot Ahern
10,192
22.6
1
1
Fianna Fáil
Séamus Kirk
5,667
12.6
2
9
Fine Gael
Brendan McGahon
4,346
9.7
3
12
Labour
Michael Bell
4,725
10.5
4
12
Fine Gael
Fergus O'Dowd
4,486
10.0
Fine Gael
Terry Brennan
3,723
8.3
Sinn Féin
Owen Hanratty
2,760
6.1
Progressive Democrats
Mary Grehan
2,395
5.3
Fianna Fáil
Maria O'Brien Campbell
2,151
4.8
Green
Neil McCann
1,403
3.1
Independent
Frank Godfrey
1,037
2.3
Sinn Féin
Maeve Healy
891
2.0
Independent
Michael Salter
686
1.5
Independent
Brian Doyle
475
1.1
Independent
Dessie Taaffe
71
0.2
Electorate: 71,086 Valid: 45,008 Spoilt: 603 (1.3%) Quota: 9,002 Turnout: 45,611 (64.2%)
1992 general election
1992 general election : Louth[ 31]
Party
Candidate
1st Pref
%
Seat
Count
Labour
Michael Bell
9,608
22.1
1
1
Fianna Fáil
Dermot Ahern
7,704
17.7
2
8
Fianna Fáil
Séamus Kirk
6,602
15.2
3
9
Fine Gael
Brendan McGahon
6,672
15.4
4
9
Fine Gael
Henry Mountcharles
4,161
9.6
Fianna Fáil
Tommy Murphy
3,853
8.9
Independent
Thomas Bellew
1,603
3.7
Sinn Féin
Seán Kenna
1,289
3.0
Independent
Maimie Ahern
1,017
2.3
Sinn Féin
Tommy Murtagh
416
1.0
Independent
Dessie Taaffe
296
0.7
Workers' Party of Ireland
Peter Short
249
0.6
Electorate: 65,896 Valid: 43,470 Spoilt: 928 (2.1%) Quota: 8,695 Turnout: 44,398 (67.4%)
1989 general election
1989 general election : Louth[ 30]
Party
Candidate
1st Pref
%
Seat
Count
Labour
Michael Bell
8,375
19.2
1
Fine Gael
Brendan McGahon
7,812
17.9
2
Fianna Fáil
Séamus Kirk
6,892
15.8
3
Fianna Fáil
Dermot Ahern
5,924
13.6
4
Fianna Fáil
Jimmy Mulroy
6,052
13.9
Sinn Féin
Arthur Morgan
2,291
5.3
Independent
Bernard Markey
2,217
5.1
Progressive Democrats
Frank Aiken
2,146
4.9
Fine Gael
Richard Brannigan
1,744
4.0
Independent
Ronald Smith
159
0.4
Electorate: ? Valid: 43,612 Quota: 8,723 Turnout:
1987 general election
1987 general election : Louth[ 29]
Party
Candidate
1st Pref
%
Seat
Count
Fine Gael
Brendan McGahon
5,319
11.4
1
Fianna Fáil
Séamus Kirk
7,156
15.3
2
Fianna Fáil
Dermot Ahern
5,822
12.4
3
Labour
Michael Bell
6,205
13.3
4
Fianna Fáil
Jimmy Mulroy
5,492
11.7
Progressive Democrats
Frank Aiken
5,219
11.2
Fine Gael
Joseph Lennon
3,560
7.6
Independent
Thomas Bellew
2,709
5.8
Sinn Féin
Arthur Morgan
2,599
5.6
Fine Gael
Fergus O'Dowd
1,941
4.2
Workers' Party of Ireland
Donnchadha MacRaghnaill
570
1.2
Independent
Ronald Smith
86
0.2
Independent
Charles Ross
66
0.2
Independent
Barbara Hyland
65
0.1
Electorate: ? Valid: 46,809 Quota: 9,362 Turnout:
November 1982 general election
November 1982 general election : Louth[ 28]
Party
Candidate
1st Pref
%
Seat
Count
Fianna Fáil
Pádraig Faulkner
6,793
15.6
1
Fianna Fáil
Séamus Kirk
6,066
13.9
2
Fine Gael
Brendan McGahon
5,269
12.1
3
Labour
Michael Bell
6,435
14.7
4
Fianna Fáil
Thomas Bellew
5,966
13.7
Fine Gael
Bernard Markey
4,745
10.9
Fine Gael
Thomas Donegan
4,737
10.9
Independent
Micheal O'Donnell
1,915
4.4
Independent
Frank Godfrey
951
2.2
Workers' Party of Ireland
Donnchadha MacRaghnaill
671
1.5
Independent
Aíne Ní Ghidhir
129
0.3
Electorate: ? Valid: 43,677 Quota: 8,736 Turnout:
February 1982 general election
February 1982 general election : Louth[ 27]
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
5
6
Fianna Fáil
Pádraig Faulkner
18.6
8,083
8,492
9,016
Fine Gael
Bernard Markey
18.2
7,928
8,237
8,543
8,562
10,197
Fianna Fáil
Thomas Bellew
14.5
6,305
6,427
7,143
7,219
7,961
8,050
Fianna Fáil
Eddie Filgate
14.1
6,109
6,204
6,862
7,055
7,391
7,428
Fine Gael
Brendan McGahon
12.2
5,311
5,406
5,629
5,635
6,001
7,177
Labour
Michael Bell
8.0
3,474
4,422
4,928
4,947
Sinn Féin
Francis Browne
8.5
3,714
4,117
Independent
Frank Godfrey
3.8
1,662
Sinn Féin The Workers' Party
Donnchadha Mac Raghnaill
1.7
742
Independent
Helen Corcoran
0.4
183
Electorate: 57,075 Valid: 43,511 Spoilt: 451 (1.0%) Quota: 8,703 Turnout: 43,962 (77.0%)
1981 general election
1981 general election : Louth[ 26]
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Ceann Comhairle
Pádraig Faulkner
N/A
Automatically returned
Fine Gael
Bernard Markey
10.3
4,694
4,810
5,007
5,258
8,316
8,513
13,315
Fianna Fáil
Eddie Filgate
12.7
5,823
5,914
7,235
7,308
7,553
11,076
11,325
Anti H-Block
Paddy Agnew
18.3
8,368
8,846
8,998
9,525
9,841
10,409
10,814
Fianna Fáil
John Connor
10.7
4,920
5,276
6,047
6,791
6,812
8,190
8,829
Fine Gael
Dick Branigan
9.6
4,372
4,624
4,687
5,548
6,463
6,651
Fianna Fáil
Thomas Bellew
11.6
5,314
5,413
5,672
5,794
6,059
Fine Gael
Brendan McGahon
10.1
4,612
4,723
4,770
4,932
Labour
Michael Bell
5.5
2,515
3,128
3,147
Fianna Fáil
Nicholas McCabe
6.1
2,804
2,887
Independent
Frank Godfrey
2.6
1,210
Sinn Féin The Workers' Party
Donnchadha Mac Raghnaill
1.7
785
Labour
James McArdle
0.8
346
Electorate: 57,075 Valid: 45,763 Spoilt: 514 (1.1%) Quota: 11,441 Turnout: 46,277 (81.1%)
1977 general election
1977 general election : Louth[ 25]
Party
Candidate
1st Pref
%
Seat
Count
Fianna Fáil
Pádraig Faulkner
10,244
24.0
1
1
Fine Gael
Paddy Donegan
9,455
22.2
2
1
Fianna Fáil
Eddie Filgate
5,954
14.0
3
Fianna Fáil
Joseph Farrell
5,402
12.7
4
Independent
James Bellew
2,523
5.9
Official Sinn Féin
Donnchadha MacRaghnaill
1,894
4.4
Fine Gael
Bernard Markey
1,718
4.0
Labour
Fergus O'Dowd
1,289
3.0
Fine Gael
Hugh McGahon
1,252
2.9
Fine Gael
Joseph Lennon
1,241
2.9
Labour
Frank Carney
908
2.1
Independent
Frank Godfrey
751
1.8
Electorate: ? Valid: 42,631 Quota: 8,527 Turnout:
1973 general election
1969 general election
1965 general election
1961 general election
1957 general election
1954 general election
1954 by-election
Following the death of Fine Gael TD James Coburn , a by-election was held on 3 March 1954. The seat was won by the Fine Gael candidate George Coburn, son of the deceased TD.
1951 general election
1948 general election
1944 general election
1943 general election
1938 general election
1937 general election
1933 general election
1932 general election
September 1927 general election
June 1927 general election
1923 general election
See also
References
External links