All five Laois-Offaly TDs intend to seek re-election

All five of the TDs elected in the Laois-Offaly constituency in 2020 are planning to seek a return to the Dáil at the next general election, the Offaly Independent can confirm.

The Green Party's Pippa Hackett, who missed out on a Dáil seat last time out, but then went on to become a Senator and Minister of State, has also committed to standing in the general election.

Clara councillor Ken Smollen confirmed that he, too, plans to have his name on the ballot as an Independent on the next occasion, while Birr-area councillor Peter Ormond indicated he's yet to make a final decision on whether or not he would seek a nomination from Fianna Fail.

The last general election was held shortly before the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, in February 2020, which means the next election must happen by 2025 at the latest.

On Monday, in a significant political development in the Midlands, the South Roscommon TD and former Communications Minister Denis Naughten announced that, after 26 years in the Oireachtas, he will not be seeking re-election.

The Offaly Independent this week emailed the five TDs in the local constituency: Brian Stanley (SF), Barry Cowen (FF), Sean Fleming (FF), Charlie Flanagan (FG) and Carol Nolan (Ind) to ask about their intentions for the next election.

Deputy Barry Cowen replied: "I very much do hope to be a candidate in the next general election, God willing, and in the hope that I am selected by Fianna Fáil to be a candidate."

The other four TDs also replied to say they intend to seek re-election. We also contacted Minister Hackett, and some other local representatives. We received replies from Minister Hackett and from Cllr Smollen, both of whom ran in 2020, affirming their intention to throw their hats in the ring.

Fianna Fáil's Cllr Ormond, from Shinrone, missed out on a Dáil seat in 2020 despite attracting more than 4,000 first preferences. He said the next local elections, in 2024, were his priority for now.

"There is an Electoral Commission in place at the moment to examine constituency boundaries, and when that's concluded, and Fianna Fáil finalise their election strategy, I will give the matter further thought," he stated on Wednesday.

As Cllr Ormond indicated, there is a good deal of uncertainty around the future of the Laois-Offaly constituency following the recent establishment by the Government of the Electoral Commission.

Offaly had been a three-seat constituency until a previous commission recommended, in 2017, that most of the counties of Laois and Offaly be combined as a five-seater.

Provisional findings of last year's Census indicated that Laois is now under-represented in the current five-seater arrangement, which suggests it could again be split from Offaly, though Offaly alone is understood to be just below the population threshold to become a three-seater.

The Electoral Commission, which is being chaired by Justice Marie Baker, is scheduled to complete its constituency review by July of this year.