Episode
Districts That Don't Add Up
- Published
- Jun 15, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 113
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Summary
Ireland’s electoral map is in chaos as the Electoral Commission struggles to redraw districts under a constitutional rule that’s outdated for today’s population. With one rep per 20-30k people, growing numbers mean districts are forced into county lines, leaving millions of voters’ ballots effectively “absorbed” elsewhere. Projections suggest 15 more TDs by 2029, pushing the total to 189. The result? Absurd pairings like Roscommon with Longford — where a political operative quipped, “Votes don’t swim.” Voters in Ballyshannon end up in Sligo-Leitrim districts, and East Kilkenny voters were so frustrated they joked they’d rather vote for Hitler than a Tipperary man. Fixing this requires either changing the constitution — needing a referendum — or adopting six-seat districts, a move that could upset the major parties by empowering smaller candidates. Support the show: Get a discount at https://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN: [email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting. Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates: https://sources.thednn.ai/88bf34529c47fd93