By election delays - Subversion of democracy

Former Minister Willie O’Dea has called on the Taoiseach to move the writs for byelections to fill the three vacant Dáil seats.

It was generally held that byelections should be held within six months of the seat being vacated, but it is now over a year since Pat The Cope Gallagher stood down, following his election to the European Parliament in 2009.

No government party has won a byelection since 1982. The last byelection was held in Dublin South – in conjunction with the European and local elections of 2009 – to fill the seat vacated by the death of Seamus Brennan. Fianna Fáil was thought to have an excellent chance of holding the seat with the late deputy’s son representing the party, but he only managed to finish third behind George Lee of Fine Gael.