Kildare South Fine Gael TD Martin Heydon has expressed disappointment at some aspects of the Report from the Boundary Committee on the Kildare Local Electoral Areas which does not allow for consistency for residents of Kilcullen, Monasterevin, Caragh and Allenwood. The next Local Elections are due to take place in May 2019.
“The Boundary Committee’s Report recommends that Kilcullen, Caragh, Carnalway and Gilltown be moved from the Naas Municipal District into a new Newbridge Local Electoral Area which will have six seats. Unfortunately, this is the third time in recent years that Kilcullen, Carnalway and Gilltown have moved district.
“In the 2009 Local Elections, Kilcullen was split between the Athy Municipal District and the Naas Municipal District, for the 2014 Local Elections all of Kilcullen was in the Naas Municipal District along with Carnalway and Gilltown and now for the third time Kilcullen, Carnalway and Gilltown have been moved into the newly formed Newbridge Local Electoral Area along with Caragh which would have strong links to Naas.
“While such movement is frustrating for local communities I am glad that the splitting of the town between two municipal districts (as happened in 2009 for Kilcullen), hasn’t been repeated. A point I had raised previously that was detrimental to development of a good community spirit in a town.
“Allenwood has also been moved from the Kildare Local Electoral Area to the Clane Municipal District. The Allenwood district has been moved between Kildare North and South in recent general election boundary changes.
“Monasterevin has been moved from the Athy Municipal District back to its former home in the Kildare Local Electoral Area. Monasterevin have only recently been brought back into the Dáil constituency of Kildare South after being in the Laois constituency for the last general election.
“While Caragh village remains as one, now in the Newbrige area.
“No area wants to be on the edge of a district or to constantly change its public representatives and area officials but overall the move in the redrawn boundaries to reduce the size of electoral areas is a positive step that will benefit communities.
“I want to assure residents in all areas I will continue to work closely with all Councillors and officials of Kildare County Council in Kildare South and I will fight to ensure that no area is marginalised as a result of this decision between now and the Local Elections in 2019.”