CavanâÂÂMonaghan is a parliamentary constituency represented in Dáil ÃÂireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament or Oireachtas. The constituency elects five deputies (TeachtaàDála, commonly known as TDs) on the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote (PR-STV).
It was created under the Electoral (Amendment) Act 1974 from the former constituencies of Cavan and Monaghan and was first used at the 1977 general election.
The constituency includes the entire area of both County Cavan and County Monaghan, taking in Cavan town, Monaghan town, Clones, Cootehill, Belturbet, Bailieborough, Castleblayney and Carrickmacross.
At the 2016 general election, 36 electoral divisions in the west of County Cavan were transferred to the SligoâÂÂLeitrim constituency and CavanâÂÂMonaghan became a 4-seat constituency. This was reversed by the Electoral (Amendment) (Dáil Constituencies) Act 2017, which took effect at the 2020 general election.
The Constituency Review Report 2023 of the Electoral Commission recommended that at the next general election, CavanâÂÂMonaghan remain as a five-seat constituency, consisting of the whole of the counties of Cavan and Monaghan, with the area in the north of County Meath transferred to Meath East.
For the 2024 general election, the Electoral (Amendment) Act 2023 defines the constituency as:
CavanâÂÂMonaghan is predominantly rural with 75% of the population living outside the main towns. Manufacturing, construction and agriculture are the largest sectors of the local economy.
It is a border constituency and has historically been strongly Republican; hunger striker Kieran Doherty won a seat in the 1981 general election as an Anti H-Block candidate. In 1997, CaoimhghÃÂn àCaoláin, became the first TD elected for Sinn Féin in any constituency since 1957. In recent elections, the constituency has seen mainly a three-way fight between Fine Gael, Sinn Féin and Fianna Fáil.
Rory O'Hanlon was Ceann Comhairle at the dissolution of the 29th Dáil and therefore deemed to be returned automatically. The constituency was treated as a four-seater for the purposes of calculating the quota.
Thomas J. Fitzpatrick was Ceann Comhairle at the dissolution of the 24th Dáil and therefore deemed to be returned automatically. The constituency was treated as a four-seater for the purposes of calculating the quota.
Kieran Doherty died on hunger strike on 2 August 1981. On 21 October 1981, a Fianna Fáil motion to move the writ of election for the vacancy was opposed by the Fine GaelâÂÂLabour government and was defeated on a vote of 78 to 80. On 26 January 1982, a second motion in the same terms was defeated on a vote of 78 to 81. The Dáil was dissolved on the following day, 27 January 1982.