Dublin and Ireland South to be allocated an extra seat in European Parliament under proposals

Extra European Parliament seats would be allocated to Dublin and Ireland South post-Brexit under proposals to be considered by the Oireachtas. Photo: REUTERS

Cormac McQuinn

Extra European Parliament seats would be allocated to Dublin and Ireland South post-Brexit under proposals to be considered by the Oireachtas.

A review of the current constituencies has been carried out in the wake of a European Council decision to increase Ireland's number of MEPs from 11 to 13 following the UK's departure from the EU.

The European Parliament Constituency Committee (EPCC) has recommended that Dublin and Ireland South would each gain a seat - up to four and five respectively.

The number of seats in Midlands-North-West would remain the same at four.

Two counties, Offaly and Laois, would be moved from Midlands-North-West to Ireland South, which would include 12 counties if the recommendation is implemented.

Chaired by Mr Justice Robert Haughton, EPCC members included Clerk of the Dáil Peter Finnegan and Ombudsman Peter Tyndall. The committee held a consultation period and it received 20 submissions.

Sinn Féin made a submission proposing that the two extra seats should be allocated to a dedicated constituency in the North so people there could still have European Parliament representation after Brexit, but the proposal was not adopted.

Minister Eoghan Murphy will consider the EPCC report as he prepares legislation to bring to the Oireachtas for approval.

Fine Gael MEP Seán Kelly welcomed the report. He said it's "unfortunate, to say the least" the UK is leaving the EU but it is "beneficial for Ireland to gain another two voices in the European Parliament".