Fine Gael TD Martin Heydon and Fianna Fail’s Sean Fleming both believe that the redrawing of the electoral boundaries is a positive thing.
The pair spoke separately to LaoisToday on the issue at the Ploughing Championships yesterday.
Fine Gael’s Heydon is most impacted as the parts of Laois – Portarlington, Killenard and Ballybrittas – that were in South Kildare, are now gone back to Laois.
Laois has broken away from Offaly and now has its own three seat constituency.
Heydon said: “It is really hard when boundaries change. It is really hard when you break county boundaries.
“The people of Laois, Kildangan and Monasterevin have experienced this about three times back and fort.
“You build a rapport with people – I have worked in Portarlington, Killenard, Jamestown and Ballybrittas area with Cllr Tom Mulhall and now PJ Kelly – but I think everyone welcomes when a county boundary comes back in tact.
“And I think when you look at the population figures that ultimately that feed into all of this based on our Constitution, it looks like it is settled now.
“With our population in Kildare South and the population in Laois, it is settled now with Laois a proper three seater.
“I will miss being in Laois as I enjoyed it. The other parent of the Portarlington District that I have strong connections with is my grandfather Timmy Fenlon who lived in Blackford on the Kildare-Laois border.
“In my mother’s home place, the kitchen is Laois and the bedrooms are in Kildare.
“So I would know a lot of people around Stradbally, Ballyadams and all of that area. We used to have great banter about football so I will miss that.”
While Fianna Fail’s Fleming says there will be little change for him as he has always focused on Laois.
He said: “Laois is on its own and I am a TD who has always concentrated on Laois which I will continue to do with my colleague Barry Cowen looking after Offaly.
“I am delighted with the change. When I was first elected, the population in Laois was 47,000 and now it is 90,000.
“The massive increase in housing in Portlaoise, Portarlington and Graiguecullen have resulted in a huge increase in population which has been good.”
SEE ALSO – Laois TD Fleming expects current government to run full Dail term
