Boundary Committee report: Five-seat Firhouse Bohernabreena electoral area planned
By Aideen O'Flaherty
THE boundaries in the Rathfarnham and Templeogue-Terenure local election areas are earmarked for change, according to a new report by the Local Electoral Area Boundary Committee.
The committee recommended the creation of a five-seat Firhouse-Bohernabreena Electoral Area, to include a number of areas that are at present in the Rathfarnham and Templeogue-Terenure constituencies, such as Firhouse-Ballycullen, Ballycragh, Firhouse-Knocklyon, Firhouse Village, Bohernabreena and Edmondstown.
The committee has recommended a five-seat Firhouse-Bohernabreena Electoral area
The Firhouse-Bohernabreena area has a population of 34,202, which will be represented by the five councillors who will be elected by the constituents.
Brian Lawlor, a Fine Gael councillor for Templeogue-Terenure who lives in Firhouse, told The Echo: “It’s good for the Firhouse area. I live in Beechdale but people across the road in Ely and Allenton couldn’t vote for me.
“A lot of people in those areas felt that they had no representation – it’s a good thing that all the addresses in Dublin 24 can now be represented by people from Dublin 24.”
Elsewhere, there are plans for the creation of a Rathfarnham-Templeogue Electoral Area, with the seven-seat ward catering to a population of 47,909.
It is proposed that the Rathfarnham-Templeogue Electoral Area will absorb the parts of the Clondalkin-Ballymount and Clondalkin-Monastery electoral divisions that are to the east of the M50, and the part of the Tallaght-Kilnamanagh electoral division that is to the east of the M50.
Ballyboden, Rathfarnham-Ballyroan, Rathfarnham-St Enda’s, Templeogue-Cypress, Templeogue-Kimmage Manor, Templeogue-Limekiln, Templeogue-Orwell, Terenure-Cherryfield, Terenure-Greentrees and Terenure-St James’ will form part of the Rathfarnham-Templeogue area.
Deirdre O’Donovan, an Independent councillor who lives in Knocklyon, told The Echo: “There is confusion around whether Knocklyon will be reunited under the boundary changes – it’s ridiculous that it was split into two constituencies during the last boundary change.
“We are seeking detailed maps from the Boundary Committee to see how the areas have been split up.
“We will still have 12 seats between Firhouse-Bohernabreena and Rathfarnham-Templeogue, and I think that’s good.
“I think it’s important for all of [the councillors] to continue to represent their constituencies, and I will continue to represent the people of Knocklyon.”
