Laois–Offaly (formerly King's County–Queen's County, Leix–Offaly and Laoighis–Offaly) was a parliamentary constituency which was represented in Dáil Éireann, the house of representatives of the Oireachtas (the legislature of Ireland), from 1921 to 2016 and again from 2020 to 2024. The constituency elected deputies (Teachtaí Dála, commonly known as TDs) on the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote (PR-STV).

History and boundaries

Laois–Offaly was created under the Government of Ireland Act 1920 as King's County–Queen's County (the respective names of County Offaly and County Laois before independence). 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 (1921–22). 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 (Amendment) (Dáil Constituencies) 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 (Amendment) Act 2023.

TDs

Elections

2020 general election

2011 general election

2007 general election

2002 general election

1997 general election

1992 general election

1989 general election

1987 general election

1984 by-election

Fianna Fáil TD Bernard Cowen died on 24 January 1984. A Fianna Fáil motion to move the writ on 29 February was defeated by the Fine Gael–Labour government. A second motion to move the writ on 17 May was unopposed. The by-election was held on 14 June 1984, the same day as the European Parliament elections. The seat was won by the son of the deceased TD.

November 1982 general election

February 1982 general election

1981 general election

1977 general election

1973 general election

1969 general election

1965 general election

1961 general election

1957 general election

1956 by-election

Labour Party TD William Davin died on 1 March 1956. A by-election was held to fill the vacancy on 30 April 1956.

1954 general election

1951 general election

1948 general election

1944 general election

1943 general election

1938 general election

1937 general election

1933 general election

1932 general election

September 1927 general election

June 1927 general election

1926 by-election

Republican TD Seán McGuinness was disqualified on 30 November 1925. A by-election was held to fill the vacancy on 18 February 1926.

1923 general election

1922 general election

1921 general election