Re-election headaches

Dublin sees some of the most far-reaching changes of the shake-up which will provide re-election headaches for many sitting TDs.

A number of constituencies disappear as mergers, enlargements and renamings break up the traditional map.

The new five-seat constituency of Dublin Bay North merges the two three-seaters of Dublin North East and Dublin North Central, and contains three current Labour TDs (if long-standing rebel Tommy Broughan comes back within the fold).

For a party crashing to 10% in the opinion polls, the odds do not look good for holding such dominance next time out, especially against long servers such Richard Bruton and the leading Independent TD, Finian McGrath.

Across the Liffey, Dublin South East becomes a mirror constituency of Dublin Bay South, but retains four seats.

Dublin South is slashed from five to three seats and becomes Dublin Rathdown.

This will rob the constituency of its traditional role of reflecting the national mood and puts Fine Gaelers Olivia Mitchell and Peter Mathews in a major battle to cling on.

Justice Minister Alan Shatter is thought to be safe, but Labour’s Alex White is in a more unpredictable position, and it remains to be seen wether the mass, instant appeal of independent Shane Ross will retain its pulling power next time out.

Elsewhere, Dublin North gains 26,000 voters and becomes Dublin Fingal, while Dublin West loses 17,000 voters but gains 13,000 from Dublin Central to remain a four-seat constituency.

Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown is to be divided into the four-seat Dún Laoghaire, which is to gain 13,000 voters from Dublin South, and the three-seat Dublin Rathdown.

Dublin Central drops to three seats from four.