Laois is a parliamentary constituency represented in Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament or Oireachtas. The constituency elects three deputies (Teachtaí Dála, commonly known as TDs) on the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote (PR-STV).
History and boundaries The Constituency Commission proposed in its 2012 report that at the 2016 general election a new constituency called Laois be created. The report proposed changes to the constituencies of Ireland to reduce the total number of TDs from 166 to 158.
It was established by the Electoral (Amendment) (Dáil Constituencies) Act 2013. The constituency incorporated all of County Laois from the previous Laois–Offaly constituency, and six electoral divisions from Kildare South.
In the 2016 election, it was described as the "most boring and predictable constituency in this election" by the TheJournal.ie, due to the low number of candidates running and the strength of the incumbent TDs.
It was abolished at the 2020 general election, along with the Offaly constituency. They were replaced by a re-created Laois–Offaly constituency, with the transfer of four electoral divisions in County Offaly to Kildare South.
In 2023, the Electoral Commission recommended the establishment of a three-seat constituency of Laois comprising the entire county of Laois.
For the 2024 general election, the Electoral (Amendment) Act 2023 defines the constituency as:
TDs
Elections
2024 general election
2016 general election
See also Dáil constituencies Politics of the Republic of Ireland Historic Dáil constituencies Elections in the Republic of Ireland
References