Tipperary (Dáil constituency)

Tipperary was a parliamentary constituency that was represented in Dáil Éireann, the house of representatives of the Oireachtas, from 1923 to 1948 and again from 2016 to 2024. The constituency elected deputies on the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote.

History and boundaries

The constituency was created under the Electoral Act 1923, and was first used at the 1923 general election, incorporating the separate counties of North Tipperary and South Tipperary. It was abolished in 1948.
The Constituency Commission proposed in its 2012 report that at the next general election a new constituency called Tipperary be created, as part of changes that reduced the total number of TDs from 166 to 158. This occurred in 2016, shortly after the administrative amalgamation in 2014 of the separate counties to form County Tipperary.
In August 2023, the Electoral Commission published its review of constituency boundaries in Ireland, which recommended that the constituency of Tipperary be abolished, with the creation of two new three-seat constituencies: Tipperary North and Tipperary South. Each new constituency would elect 3 deputies. These changes came into effect for the 2024 general election under the Electoral (Amendment) Act 2023.

Years	Seats	Area	Change
1923–1948	7	North Tipperary and South Tipperary
1948–2016	—	Constituency abolished	See Tipperary North and Tipperary South
2016–2020	5	County Tipperary, except for the part in the Offaly constituency.	Amalgamation of Tipperary North and Tipperary South; transfer of the electoral divisions of Aglishcloghane, Ballingarry, Ballylusky, Borrisokane, Carrig, Cloghjordan, Cloghprior, Clohaskin, Finnoe, Graigue, Kilbarron, Lorrha East, Lorrha West, Mertonhall, Rathcabban, Redwood, Riverstown, Terryglass, and Uskane, in the former Rural District of Borrisokane; and Ardcrony, Ballygibbon, Ballymackey, Knigh, and Monsea, in the former Rural District of Nenagh to the new Offaly constituency; transfer of electoral divisions in Waterford City and County to Waterford.
2020–2024	5	County Tipperary, except for the part in the Limerick City constituency	Transfer of electoral divisions from the former Offaly constituency; transfer of Birdhill, Kilcomenty, Newport in the former Rural District of Nenagh to the Limerick City constituency.

Elections

2020 general election

On 3 February 2020, following the death of independent candidate, Marese Skehan, the election in the Tipperary constituency was due to be postponed, with nominations to be re-opened. However, on 5 February the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government issued a Special Difficulty Order allowing the election to proceed on the same date as other constituencies. This was in consideration of the constitutional requirement that elections take place within 30 days of the dissolution of the Dáil.

1947 by-election

Clann na Talmhan TD William O'Donnell died on 4 February 1947. A by-election was held to fill the vacancy on 29 October 1947.