Dublin Central is a

parliamentary constituency An electoral district, also known as an election district, legislative district, voting district, constituency, riding, ward, division, or (election) precinct is a subdivision of a larger state (a country, administrative region, or other poli ...

represented in

Dáil Éireann Dáil Éireann ( , ; ) is the lower house, and principal chamber, of the Oireachtas (Irish legislature), which also includes the President of Ireland and Seanad Éireann (the upper house).Article 15.1.2º of the Constitution of Ireland read ...

, the lower house of the Irish parliament or Oireachtas. The constituency elects 4 deputies ( Teachtaí Dála, commonly known as TDs) on the system of

proportional representation Proportional representation (PR) refers to a type of electoral system under which subgroups of an electorate are reflected proportionately in the elected body. The concept applies mainly to geographical (e.g. states, regions) and political divis ...

by means of the

single transferable vote Single transferable vote (STV) is a multi-winner electoral system in which voters cast a single vote in the form of a ranked-choice ballot. Voters have the option to rank candidates, and their vote may be transferred according to alternate p ...

(PR-STV).

Constituency profile

Dublin Central is regarded as one of the most social and ethnically diverse constituencies in Ireland. It contains Dublin's main shopping district and financial areas. The constituency consists of largely traditional working class areas such as East Wall,

North Strand North Strand ( Irish: ''An Trá Thuaidh'' ) is a residential inner city neighbourhood on the Northside of Dublin, Ireland. Location and access The area is physically bounded by the River Tolka to the north and the railway tracks to the east. Nor ...

, Summerhill,

Ballybough Ballybough () is an inner city district of northeast Dublin city, Ireland. Adjacent areas include the North Strand and Clonliffe. Location Ballybough is an inner city district of northeast Dublin. Neighbouring districts include Drumcondra t ...

Sheriff Street Sheriff Street (), known by locals as "Sheriffer" or "The Street", is a street in the north inner city of Dublin, Ireland, lying between East Wall and North Wall and often considered to be part of the North Wall area. It is divided into Sherif ...

and Cabra with more suburban middle class Glasnevin and Lower Drumcondra on the northern fringes of the constituency. Former

Taoiseach The Taoiseach is the head of government, or prime minister, of Ireland. The office is appointed by the president of Ireland upon the nomination of Dáil Éireann (the lower house of the Oireachtas, Ireland's national legislature) and the o ...

Bertie Ahern Bartholomew Patrick "Bertie" Ahern (born 12 September 1951) is an Irish former Fianna Fáil politician who served as Taoiseach from 1997 to 2008, Leader of Fianna Fáil from 1994 to 2008, Leader of the Opposition from 1994 to 1997, Tánaiste a ...

won the first seat in the constituency at every election from its creation in 1981 until his retirement in 2011. It was a highly competitive constituency with the Labour Party,

Sinn Féin Sinn Féin ( , ; en, " eOurselves") is an Irish republican and democratic socialist political party active throughout both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. The original Sinn Féin organisation was founded in 1905 by Arthur G ...

and left-wing

independent Independent or Independents may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups * Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in the New Hope, Pennsylvania, area of the United States during the early 1930s * Independ ...

s such as

Tony Gregory Tony Gregory (5 December 1947 – 2 January 2009) was an Irish independent politician, and a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Dublin Central constituency from 1982 to 2009. Early life Gregory was born in Ballybough on Dublin's Northside, the secon ...

drawing much support. Fianna Fáil have not been represented in the constituency since the 2011 general election.

History

A Dublin Central constituency was created for the first time in 1969 and used at the 1969 and 1973 general elections. It originally spanned both sides of the

River Liffey The River Liffey ( Irish: ''An Life'', historically ''An Ruirthe(a)ch'') is a river in eastern Ireland that ultimately flows through the centre of Dublin to its mouth within Dublin Bay. Its major tributaries include the River Dodder, the Riv ...

and took in inner city Dublin. It was abolished in 1977, and recreated with different boundaries in 1981. It is now exclusively on the

northside Northside or North Side may refer to: Music * Northside (band), a musical group from Manchester, England * NorthSide, an American record label * NorthSide Festival (Denmark), a music festival in Aarhus, Denmark * "Norf Norf", a 2015 song by Vinc ...

of the Liffey. The Dublin Central constituency is located in the north inner city and suburbs of

Dublin Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of th ...

and encompasses an area to the north side of the

river Liffey The River Liffey ( Irish: ''An Life'', historically ''An Ruirthe(a)ch'') is a river in eastern Ireland that ultimately flows through the centre of Dublin to its mouth within Dublin Bay. Its major tributaries include the River Dodder, the Riv ...

including: Stoneybatter,

Mountjoy Square Mountjoy Square () is a Georgian garden square in Dublin, Ireland, on the Northside of the city just under a kilometre from the River Liffey. One of five Georgian squares in Dublin, it was planned and developed in the late 18th century by Lu ...

Phibsborough Phibsborough (; ), also spelled Phibsboro, is a mixed commercial and residential neighbourhood on the Northside of Dublin, Ireland. The Bradogue River crosses the area in a culvert, and the Royal Canal passes through its northern reaches, n ...

, Cabra, Dorset Street, Henrietta Street,

O'Connell Street O'Connell Street () is a street in the centre of Dublin, Ireland, running north from the River Liffey. It connects the O'Connell Bridge to the south with Parnell Street to the north and is roughly split into two sections bisected by Henry S ...

, Arbour Hill, Navan Road,

Glasnevin Glasnevin (, also known as ''Glas Naedhe'', meaning "stream of O'Naeidhe" after a local stream and an ancient chieftain) is a neighbourhood of Dublin, Ireland, situated on the River Tolka. While primarily residential, Glasnevin is also home t ...

, North Wall,

East Wall East Wall () is an inner city area of the Northside of Dublin, Ireland. Built on reclaimed ground in the 1820s, the area is also 30 minutes walk from Dublin's main thoroughfare, O'Connell Street. Location East Wall is bounded by West Road to t ...

and Drumcondra.

TDs

TDs 1969–1977

TDs since 1981

Elections

2020 general election

2016 general election

2011 general election

2009 by-election

Following the death of

, a by-election was held on 5 June 2009. It was won by Independent candidate Maureen O'Sullivan.

2007 general election

2002 general election

1997 general election

1992 general election

1989 general election

1987 general election

1983 by-election

Following the death of

Fianna Fáil Fianna Fáil (, ; meaning 'Soldiers of Destiny' or 'Warriors of Fál'), officially Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party ( ga, audio=ga-Fianna Fáil.ogg, Fianna Fáil – An Páirtí Poblachtánach), is a conservative and Christia ...

George Colley George Colley (18 October 1925 – 17 September 1983) was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician who served as Tánaiste from 1977 to 1981, Minister for Energy from 1980 to 1981, Minister for Tourism and Transport from 1979 to 1980, Minister for ...

, a by-election was held on 23 November 1983. It was won by Fianna Fáil candidate Tom Leonard.

November 1982 general election

February 1982 general election

1981 general election

1973 general election

1969 general election

References

External links

Oireachtas Constituency DashboardsOireachtas Members Database
* ttps://www.dublinhistoricmaps.ie/boundaries/wards/index.html Dublin Historic Maps: Dublin Wards {{DEFAULTSORT:Dublin Central (Dail constituency) Dáil constituencies Parliamentary constituencies in County Dublin 1969 establishments in Ireland 1977 disestablishments in Ireland Constituencies established in 1969 Constituencies disestablished in 1977 1981 establishments in Ireland Constituencies established in 1981 Politics of Dublin (city)