Dividing Westmeath was 'a huge mistake' says Burke

 

Deputy Peter Burke has said this week that the “huge mistake” which saw part of Westmeath included in the Meath East constituency has left many in the north of the county feeling disenfranchised.

The Fine Gael man is claiming that north Westmeath residents are losing out because they are in a different electoral constituency to the rest of the county.
"I am firmly of the opinion that County Westmeath should not be divided when it comes to electing members of Dáil Éireann,” Deputy Burke has said this week, in a strongly-worded call to have the lost portion restored to Westmeath.
The issues that have arisen from the division of the constituency have been set out by Deputy Burke in a submission to the Constituency Commission.
Pointing out that the 1997 Electoral Amendment Act says “the breaching of county boundaries shall be avoided as far as practicable”, Deputy Burke believes that the breach involved in the division of Westmeath creates a number of problems and obstacles to good representation
“We have a strong sense of pride in our county and our identity here in Westmeath. We receive education and training here, we raise our children and follow Westmeath in GAA, soccer and other sports and there is a great sense of community in our area.
“I am sure this is also the case in Meath, but areas in north Westmeath are not linked in any meaningful way to Meath in this manner,” he says.
Deputy Burke states in his submission that the line that was placed on the map marking the division of north Westmeath was arbitrary.
“And,” he continued, “it is arbitrary and it is unfair that Westmeath citizens do not have access to a Westmeath constituency purely because of their proximity to county borders.”
Deputy Burke points out that Westmeath County Council overlaps both jurisdictions and residents of the county vote for local county councillors from Westmeath.
However, “when it comes to general elections, many people feel disenfranchised from politics as they are unfamiliar with the candidates on the ballot paper”.
He said that the TDs in Longford/Westmeath get a large volume of work from the Meath West area.
“I can personally attest to this. This proves that the system is not working,” he said.
Deputy Burke said that when new boundaries are drawn up, on foot of the most recent census results, the state has a chance to put right the “mistake” it made in carving up the county.