Dublin South-West is a parliamentary constituency represented in Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament or Oireachtas. The constituency elects five deputies (Teachtaí Dála, commonly known as TDs) on the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote (PR-STV).
The constituency leans towards left-wing parties such as the Labour Party and Sinn Féin. Both Labour Party TDs elected in 2011 had been members of other left-wing parties: Pat Rabbitte of the Workers' Party and Democratic Left, and Eamonn Maloney was a member of the Jim Kemmy's Democratic Socialist Party. With the departure of Brian Hayes in 2014, upon the election of Paul Murphy of the Anti-Austerity Alliance in the 2014 by-election, the constituency was entirely represented by four left-of-centre TDs until the 2016 election.
The constituency is noted for its volatility: in three consecutive general elections, the poll topper from the previous election lost his seat, Brian Hayes in 2002, Seán Crowe in 2007 and Conor Lenihan in 2011.[1]
The first constituency of this name was created by the Electoral (Amendment) Act 1947. It was based in Dublin city and was in use at elections from 1948 to 1977.[2]
that part of Crumlin West ward situated within a line drawn as follows: commencing at the junction of Windmill Road with St. Mary's Road, thence commencing in a north-easterly direction and proceeding along the ward boundary to the starting point;
and that part of Merchants Quay ward lying south of a line drawn as follows: commencing at the intersection of South Circular Road by the ward boundary, thence in a south-easterly direction along South Circular Road to its junction with Dolphin Avenue, thence in a southerly direction along Dolphin Avenue and its imaginary southerly projection to its intersection by the ward boundary.[5]
A second constituency of this name was created by the Electoral (Amendment) Act 1980, and has been in use since the 1981 general election. It was in a different area to the 1948–1977 constituency, being based in County Dublin (South Dublin, after the division of County Dublin in 1994), in the areas of Clondalkin, Newcastle, Rathcoole, Saggart, Tallaght, Templeogue, and parts of Terenure.[7] At the 2002 election, it was reduced in size and electorate, losing territory — including Newcastle, Rathcoole, Saggart and Clondalkin — to the new Dublin Mid-West constituency.[8] Major areas today include Rathfarnham, Tallaght, and Templeogue, with the surrounding suburbs of Ballyboden, Ballyroan, Butterfield, Firhouse, Greenhills, Knocklyon, Willbrook, and parts of Terenure. At the 2016 general election, it gained a seat to become a five-seat constituency, with the addition of part of the former Dublin South constituency, around Rathfarnham.[9]
The Constituency Review Report 2023 of the Electoral Commission recommended that at the next general election Dublin South-West be altered by the transfer of territory from Dublin South-Central and the transfer of territory to Dublin Mid-West.[10][11]
For the 2024 general election, the Electoral (Amendment) Act 2023 defines the constituency as:[12]
In the county of South Dublin, the electoral divisions of: Ballinascorney, Ballyboden, Bohernabreena, Clondalkin-Ballymount, Edmondstown, Firhouse-Ballycullen, Firhouse-Knocklyon, Firhouse Village, Rathfarnham-Ballyroan, Rathfarnham-Butterfield, Rathfarnham-Hermitage, Rathfarnham-St. Enda's, Rathfarnham Village, Tallaght-Avonbeg, Tallaght-Belgard, Tallaght-Glenview, Tallaght-Jobstown, Tallaght-Killinardan, Tallaght-Kilnamanagh, Tallaght-Kiltipper, Tallaght-Kingswood, Tallaght-Millbrook, Tallaght-Oldbawn, Tallaght-Springfield, Tallaght-Tymon, Templeogue-Cypress, Templeogue-Kimmage Manor, Templeogue-Limekiln, Templeogue-Orwell, Templeogue-Osprey, Templeogue-Village, Terenure-Cherryfield, Terenure-Greentrees, Terenure-St. James.
Clondalkin Number One, Clondalkin Number Two, Newcastle, Rathcoole, Saggart, Tallaght Number Two, Tallaght Number Three, Terenure Number Three, Terenure Number Four;
of Tallaght Number Two, Tallaght Number Three, Terenure Number Three, Terenure Number Four, and part of Tallaght Number One from Dublin County Mid.
Clondalkin Number One, Clondalkin Number Two, Newcastle, Rathcoole, Saggart, Tallaght Number Two, Tallaght Number Three, Terenure Number Four;
Ballinascorney, Clondalkin-Ballymount, Clondalkin-Dunawley, Clondalkin-Monastery, Clondalkin Village, Newcastle, Rathcoole, Saggart, Tallaght-Avonbeg, Tallaght-Belgard, Tallaght-Fettercairn, Tallaght-Glenview, Tallaght-Jobstown, Tallaght-Killinardan, Tallaght-Kilnamanagh, Tallaght-Kiltipper, Tallaght-Kingswood, Tallaght-Millbrook, Tallaght-Oldbawn, Tallaght-Springfield, Tallaght-Tymon, Templeogue-Limekiln, Templeogue-Osprey, Terenure St. James;
and that part of the district electoral division of Templeogue-Cypress situated south of a line drawn along the Tallaght Road;
and, in the district electoral division of Bohernabreena, the townlands of:
Allagour, Ballymorefinn, Bohernabreena, Castlekelly, Corrageen, Cunard, Friarstown Lower, Friarstown Upper, Glassamucky, Glassamucky Brakes, Glassamucky Mountain, Glassavullaun, Kiltipper, Mountpelier, Orlagh, Piperstown;
Ballinascorney, Bohernabreena, Tallaght-Avonbeg, Tallaght-Belgard, Tallaght-Fettercairn, Tallaght-Glenview, Tallaght-Jobstown, Tallaght-Killinardan, Tallaght-Kiltipper, Tallaght-Kingswood, Tallaght-Millbrook, Tallaght-Oldbawn, Tallaght-Springfield, Tallaght-Tymon, Templeogue-Cypress, Templeogue-Limekiln, Templeogue-Orwell, Templeogue-Osprey, Templeogue Village, Terenure-St. James;
and those parts of the electoral divisions of Clondalkin-Ballymount and Tallaght-Kilnamanagh situated west of a line drawn along the M50 Western Parkway;
Ballinascorney, Bohernabreena, Firhouse Village, Tallaght-Avonbeg, Tallaght-Belgard, Tallaght-Fettercairn, Tallaght-Glenview, Tallaght-Jobstown, Tallaght-Killinardan, Tallaght-Kiltipper, Tallaght-Kingswood, Tallaght-Millbrook, Tallaght-Oldbawn, Tallaght-Springfield, Tallaght-Tymon, Templeogue-Cypress, Templeogue-Limekiln, Templeogue-Orwell, Templeogue-Osprey, Templeogue Village, Terenure-St. James;
Ballinascorney, Ballyboden, Bohernabreena, Edmondstown, Firhouse-Ballycullen, Firhouse-Knocklyon, Firhouse Village, Rathfarnham-Ballyroan, Rathfarnham-Butterfield, Rathfarnham-Hermitage, Rathfarnham-St. Enda’s, Rathfarnham Village, Tallaght-Avonbeg, Tallaght-Belgard, Tallaght-Fettercairn, Tallaght-Glenview, Tallaght-Jobstown, Tallaght-Killinardan, Tallaght-Kiltipper, Tallaght-Kingswood, Tallaght-Millbrook, Tallaght-Oldbawn, Tallaght-Springfield, Tallaght-Tymon, Templeogue-Cypress, Templeogue-Limekiln, Templeogue-Orwell, Templeogue-Osprey, Templeogue Village, Terenure-St. James;
Note: The columns in this table are used only for presentational purposes, and no significance should be attached to the order of columns. For details of the order in which seats were won at each election, see the detailed results of that election.
Note that the boundaries of Dublin South-West from 1981 onwards share no common territory with the pre-1977 boundaries. See §History and boundaries
^ *: Outgoing TD
Brian Hayes was elected for Dublin at the 2014 European Parliament election on 23 May 2014, vacating his Dáil seat. A writ of election to fill the vacancy was moved on 17 September 2014.[63] A by-election was held on 10 October 2014.[64]
Fianna Fáil TD Noel Lemass died on 13 April 1976. A by-election was held to fill the vacancy on 10 June 1976.
Labour Party TD Seán Dunne died on 25 June 1969, before the first sitting of the 19th Dáil on 2 July. A by-election was held on 4 March 1970.
Fianna Fáil TD Bernard Butler died on 13 March 1959. A by-election was held to fill the vacancy on 22 July 1959.
Fine Gael TD Peadar Doyle died on 4 August 1956. A by-election to fill the vacancy was held on 14 November 1956.