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A snap general election should not be allowed disenfranchise the people of West Cavan again,” so says Fianna Fáil Councillor, John Paul Feeley.
Recent speculation of a general election either immediately before Christmas are in the early part of 2018 makes the implementation of the recommendations of the Constituencies Commission to reunite County Cavan as part of a new five seat constituency all the more urgent as far as people in West Cavan are concerned.
“In recent days it seems that we are heading closer to a General Election. I am concerned that West Cavan remains in a constituency which the Constituency Commission has recommended should be changed as the number of voters in that constituency does not tally with the number of seats assigned to it in Dáil Ėireann. The constituency of Sligo/Leitrim which encompasses parts of County Donegal and Cavan is therefore effectively unconstitutional and the rights of the citizens in that constituency have not been vindicated as a result of the failure of the Oireachtas to bring forward legislation required to implement the recommendations of the Constituency Commission.”
‘During the 2016 general election many people told me on the doorsteps that they would vote in this constituency once and once only because they felt it was undemocratic and unfair to them to take them from their natural hinterland and placed them in a constituency with all are part of three other counties. Many people did not vote at all in the previous constituency and the concerns of the people of West Cavan and indeed all of County Cavan were clearly set out in the numerous submissions made by statutory agencies such as Cavan County Council and also by ordinary citizens and their local community groups who demanded that they be returned to Cavan Monaghan constituency. Those concerns were accepted entirely by the Constituency Commission yet, for whatever reason the political parties in Dáil Ėireann have not moved to give the people of this county and in particular people in West Cavan their democratic right.”
“I call on all political parties but in particular the Minister for Local Government, Eoghan Murphy, TD and the Government Chief Whip, Joe McHugh, TD to ensure that the necessary legislation is brought before the House of the Oireachtas without further delay. Given the current political instability this legislation should be moved and implemented this week. I have written to the Government Chief Whip and to the Whip of the Fianna Fáil party in this regard.”
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