| Dublin South-Central | |
| Type: | Dáil |
| Year: | 1948 |
| Members Label: | TDs |
| Local Council Label: | Local government area |
| Local Council: | Dublin City |
| Blank1 Name: | EP constituency |
| Blank1 Info: | Dublin |
Dublin South-Central is a parliamentary constituency in Dublin City represented in Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament or Oireachtas. The constituency elects four deputies (Teachtaí Dála, commonly known as TDs) on the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote (PR-STV).
The largest employers in the area are the Guinness Brewery and St. James's Hospital. Dubbed the "People's republic of Dublin South-Central,[1] [2] the constituency is one of the country's most left-wing,[3] [2] with all of the TDs elected in 2020 being from centre-left or left-wing parties.[4] Both Labour Party TDs elected in 2011 had previously been members of other left-wing parties: Eric Byrne was a former member of the Workers' Party and Democratic Left, and Michael Conaghan had stood in a number of elections for Jim Kemmy's Democratic Socialist Party.
A constituency of this name was created by the Electoral (Amendment) Act 1947 containing the Mansion House, Merchants' Quay, Royal Exchange, St. Kevin's, South Dock, Usher's and Wood Quay wards of Dublin.[5] Its boundaries changed considerably over the years, generally moving to the west within the city.
It is now located near the centre of Dublin city. The constituency comprises Ballyfermot, Bluebell, Chapelizod, Crumlin, Drimnagh, Dolphin's Barn, Inchicore, the Liberties, Kimmage and Walkinstown.
The Electoral (Amendment) Act 2023 defines the constituency as:[6]
| + Changes to the Dublin South-Central constituency | ||||
| Years | TDs | Boundaries | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1948–1961 | 3 | Created from Dublin South. | ||
| 1961–1969 | 3 | Transfer of Kilmainham from Dublin South-West. | ||
| 1969–1977 | 4 | Transfer of Usher's and Wood Quay and part of Royal Exchange to Dublin Central; Transfer of Mansion House, St. Kevin's, South Dock and part of Royal Exchange to Dublin South-East; Transfer of Kilmainham to Dublin South-West.[7] | ||
| 1977–1981 | 3 | Transfer of Kilmainham B and part of Merchant's Quay from Dublin South-West; Mansion House A, Mansion House B, Saint Kevin's, and part of Royal Exchange from Dublin South-East; Usher's and Wood Quay and part of Merchant's Quay and part of Royal Exchange from Dublin Central; Transfer of Kimmage, Rathmines West, Terenure and part of Rathfarnham wards to Dublin Rathmines West; transfer of part of Rathfarnham to Dublin County Mid; transfer of part of Crumlin to Dublin Ballyfermot. | ||
| 1981–1987 | 5 | |||
| 1987–1992 | 5 | Transfer of Terenure Number Three from Dublin South-West.[8] | ||
| 1992–1997 | 4 | Transfer of the south inner city area extending generally from the Grand Canal and Donore Avenue to the Liffey (Merchant's Quay A to E) to Dublin South-East.[9] | ||
| 1997–2002 | 4 | Transfer of Merchants Quay B, Merchants Quay C, Merchants Quay D, Merchants Quay E from Dublin South-East.[10] | ||
| 2002–2007 | 5 | Transfer of Ballyfermot, Inchicore and Kilmainham area from Dublin Central; transfer from Dublin South-East of population from South-East to complete a boundary between the constituencies running from the Liffey at Winetavern Street; swop of population with South-West to secure a western boundary bounded largely by the M50, Greenhills Road and Templeville Road.[11] | ||
| 2007–2016 | 4 | Transfer of south part of Phoenix Park ED from Dublin Central.[12] [13] | ||
| 2016–2024 | 4 | Transfer of Kimmage C, and Terenure A, B, C and D to Dublin Bay South.[14] | ||
| 2024– | 4 | Transfer of Kimmage C from Dublin Bay South; transfer to Dublin South-West of Templeogue-Kimmage Manor, Terenure-Greentrees, Terenure-Cherryfield, Clondalkin-Ballymount (Part North of M50) and Tallaght-Kilnamanagh (Part North of M50); transfer to Dublin Mid-West of Clondalkin-Monastery (Part North of M50)[15] |
Labour Party TD Pat Upton died on 22 February 1999. A by-election to fill the vacancy was held on 27 October 1999. Turnout was only 27.9%, down from 60% at the 1997 general election.[16] The seat was won by the Labour Party candidate Mary Upton, sister of the deceased TD.
Fianna Fáil TD John O'Connell resigned on 24 February 1993.[17] A by-election to fill the vacancy was held on 9 June 1994.
John O'Connell was Ceann Comhairle at the dissolution of the 23rd Dáil and therefore deemed to be returned automatically. The constituency was treated as a four-seater for the purposes of calculating the quota.
John O'Connell was Ceann Comhairle at the dissolution of the 22nd Dáil and therefore deemed to be returned automatically. The constituency was treated as a four-seater for the purposes of calculating the quota.
Independent TD Jack Murphy resigned on 13 May 1958.[18] On 4 June 1958, the writ of election was moved to fill the vacancy.[19] A by-election was held on 25 June 1958.