Laois–Offaly
Laois–Offaly was a parliamentary constituency which was represented in Dáil Éireann, the house of representatives of the Oireachtas, from 1921 to 2016 and again from 2020 to 2024. The constituency elected deputies on the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote.
History and boundaries
Laois–Offaly was created under the Government of Ireland Act 1920 as King's County–Queen's County. The two counties were combined in a single four-member constituency for the House of Commons of Southern Ireland. It was known in the Dáil as Leix–Offaly, and first used for the 1921 general election to the Second Dáil. The Sinn Féin candidates elected unopposed preferred to sit in the Second Dáil. It was used at every subsequent general election until 2011. It was abolished at the 2016 general election, and was replaced by the new constituencies of Laois and Offaly.It was re-established by the Electoral Act 2017, which came into effect for the 2020 general election.
In August 2023, the Electoral Commission published its review of constituency boundaries in Ireland, which recommended that the constituency of Laois–Offaly be abolished, with the creation of two new three-seat constituencies: Laois and Offaly. Each new constituency would elect 3 deputies. These changes took effect for the 2024 general election under the Electoral Act 2023.
| Years | TDs | Boundaries | Notes |
| 4 | In the Dáil record, the constituency was variously described as Leix and Offaly and Offaly, Leix | ||
| 1923–2011 | 5 | County Laois and County Offaly | Named as Leix–Offaly.; Renamed as Laoighis–Offaly from 1961; Renamed as Laois–Offaly from 2007. |
| 2011–2016 | 5 | County Laois; and County Offaly except the areas in the Tipperary North constituency. | Transfer to Tipperary North of the electoral divisions of Aghacon, Barna, Cangort, Cullenwaine, Dunkerrin, Ettagh, Gorteen, Mountheaton, Shinrone, Templeharry, in the former rural district of Roscrea No. 2, to Tipperary North. |
| 2016–2020 | — | Constituency abolished. | Split into constituencies of Laois and Offaly. |
| 2020–2024 | 5 | County Laois; except the area in the Kildare South constituency; County Offaly; except the area in the Kildare South constituency. | Parts in Kildare South:
|
| 2024– | — | Constituency abolished. | Split into constituencies of Laois and Offaly. |