The Pro-Life Campaign is treating the new constituencies and extra Dáil seats as an opportunity to be engaged with.
The recommendations of the Electoral Commission included raising the number of TDs from 160 to 174 and redrawing many constituencies.
“More seats give more opportunities for candidates from all parties and none to be elected. Pro-lifers should look at the recommended increase in seats as an opportunity. It should encourage greater engagement with politics, and hopefully prompt people to stand forward for election,” said a spokesperson.
The splitting of five seat constituencies in Tipperary and Laois/Offaly into a number of smaller three seat constituencies should suit sitting pro-life TDs.
‘For Carol Nolan, since her voting base is strongly based in Offaly, the creation of a new Offaly constituency will hopefully solidify her vote and help her prospect of re-election at the next general election’, the PLC said.
Mattie McGrath’s vote is concentrated mostly in the south of county Tipperary. Therefore, the division of the county in two will likely be of net benefit to him as a candidate in Tipperary South’, they added.