Sinn Fein is set to do battle for a third seat in the Cavan-Monaghan Constituency. That's according to local political commentator, Sean McKiernan, who has been reacting this morning to the new Dáil constituency boundaries announced by the Electoral Commission this week.
As a result of changes, Cavan-Monaghan will remain a five-seat constituency with the return of North Meath to within its own county boundary. Speaking on this morning's Joe Finnegan Show, Mr McKiernan said the outcome of the next General Election in this Constituency will, in fact, be determined by national trends.
He says that Sinn Fein "pulled off a bit of a surprise" in 2020 when the party secured two seats in Cavan-Monaghan. Mr McKiernan added that neither Fianna Fail nor Fine Gael will however, "give up the fight" and there are enough votes in Cavan to elect a Fine Gael TD - if it's managed correctly.
"I think very much what will happen in Cavan-Monaghan, will be to some extent determined by national trends. Cavan-Monaghan was the first Constituency to return a Sinn Fein TD," Mr McKiernan continued. "That TD was Caoimhghín Ó'Caoláin who always polled better than the national polling average for Sinn Fein.
"Then on the last occasion, the party pulled off a bit of a surprise when it got two seats and the concern among other parties now would be that, if they continue to poll as well as they are polling, the party will be challenging for a third seat.
