# Kildare South (Dáil constituency)

Kildare South is a parliamentary constituency represented in Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament or Oireachtas. The constituency elects four deputies (Teachtaí Dála, commonly known as TDs) on the electoral system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote (PR-STV).

## History and boundaries

The constituency was first used at the 1997 general election, when the former 5-seat Kildare constituency was divided into Kildare South and Kildare North.
The Kildare South constituency spans the more rural southern and western areas of County Kildare, taking in the towns of Newbridge, Kildare, Athy, Caragh and many other areas. At the 2020 general election, it gained an extra seat to become a 4-seat constituency.
The Constituency Review Report 2023 of the Electoral Commission recommended that at the next general election, the boundary of Kildare South be altered with the transfer of territory to Kildare North, Laois and Offaly.
For the 2024 general election, the Electoral (Amendment) Act 2023 defines the constituency as:

## TDs

Teachtaí Dála (TDs) for Kildare South 1997– :
| Key to parties  FF = Fianna Fáil  FG = Fine Gael  Ind = Independent  Lab = Labour  SF = Sinn Féin ||||||||||
| Dáil | Election | Deputy (Party) | Deputy (Party) | Deputy (Party) | Deputy (Party) | Deputy (Party) | Deputy (Party) | Deputy (Party) | Deputy (Party) |
| 28th | 1997 | | Jack Wall (Lab) | | Alan Dukes (FG) | | Seán Power (FF) | 3 seats 1997–2020 | 3 seats 1997–2020 |
| 29th | 2002 | | Jack Wall (Lab) | | Seán Ó Fearghaíl (FF) | | Seán Power (FF) | 3 seats 1997–2020 | 3 seats 1997–2020 |
| 30th | 2007 | | Jack Wall (Lab) | | Seán Ó Fearghaíl (FF) | | Seán Power (FF) | 3 seats 1997–2020 | 3 seats 1997–2020 |
| 31st | 2011 | | Jack Wall (Lab) | | Seán Ó Fearghaíl (FF) | | Martin Heydon (FG) | 3 seats 1997–2020 | 3 seats 1997–2020 |
| 32nd | 2016 | | Fiona O'Loughlin (FF) | | Seán Ó Fearghaíl (FF) | | Martin Heydon (FG) | 3 seats 1997–2020 | 3 seats 1997–2020 |
| 33rd | 2020 | | Cathal Berry (Ind) | | Seán Ó Fearghaíl (FF) | | Martin Heydon (FG) | | Patricia Ryan (SF) |
| 34th | 2024 | | Mark Wall (Lab) | | Seán Ó Fearghaíl (FF) | | Martin Heydon (FG) | | Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh (SF) |
Note: The columns in this table are used only for presentational purposes, and no significance should be attached to the order of columns. For details of the order in which seats were won at each election, see the detailed results of that election.
* ↑ Ó Fearghaíl has served as Ceann Comhairle in the 32nd and 33rd Dáil. He was returned automatically at the 2020 and 2024 general elections.

## Elections

^ *: Outgoing TD

### 2024 general election

Seán Ó Fearghaíl was Ceann Comhairle at the dissolution of the 33rd Dáil and will be returned automatically. The constituency was treated as a three-seater for the purposes of calculating the quota.
2024 general election: Kildare South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
| | Fianna Fáil | Seán Ó Fearghaíl | N/A | Returned automatically | Returned automatically | Returned automatically | Returned automatically | Returned automatically | Returned automatically | Returned automatically | Returned automatically | Returned automatically | Returned automatically | Returned automatically | Returned automatically |
| | Fine Gael | Martin Heydon | 21.6 | 9,262 | 9,278 | 9,290 | 9,303 | 9,407 | 9,477 | 9,595 | 9,628 | 9,828 | 10,217 | 11,364 | |
| | Fianna Fáil | Fiona O'Loughlin | 17.4 | 7,489 | 7,503 | 7,511 | 7,528 | 7,608 | 7,651 | 7,697 | 7,729 | 7,904 | 8,312 | 9,124 | 9,482 |
| | Sinn Féin | Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh | 16.9 | 7,241 | 7,264 | 7,407 | 7,455 | 7,491 | 7,626 | 7,763 | 7,912 | 8,379 | 9,426 | 10,151 | 10,220 |
| | Labour | Mark Wall | 15.5 | 6,654 | 6,662 | 6,703 | 6,722 | 6,859 | 7,040 | 7,251 | 7,350 | 7,505 | 8,744 | 9,739 | 9,942 |
| | Social Democrats | Chris Pender | 7.3 | 3,157 | 3,166 | 3,372 | 3,390 | 3,543 | 3,617 | 3,670 | 3,722 | 3,888 | | | |
| | Independent | Cathal Berry | 7.0 | 3,007 | 3,055 | 3,076 | 3,162 | 3,216 | 3,317 | 3,441 | 3,663 | 4,290 | 4,767 | | |
| | Aontú | Melissa Byrne | 3.9 | 1,677 | 1,692 | 1,713 | 1,767 | 1,784 | 1,825 | 1,939 | 2,380 | | | | |
| | Irish Freedom | Anthony Casey | 2.2 | 957 | 973 | 981 | 1,129 | 1,134 | 1,165 | 1,362 | | | | | |
| | Independent Ireland | William Carton | 2.2 | 955 | 1,004 | 1,012 | 1,065 | 1,071 | 1,113 | | | | | | |
| | Independent | Patricia Ryan | 1.6 | 678 | 703 | 711 | 753 | 762 | | | | | | | |
| | Green | Monaa K. Sood | 1.4 | 585 | 592 | 613 | 618 | | | | | | | | |
| | Independent | Tom McDonnell | 1.2 | 499 | 530 | 534 | | | | | | | | | |
| | PBP–Solidarity | Rob Cosgrave | 1.2 | 498 | 505 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Independent | Leanne O'Neill | 0.3 | 152 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Independent Ireland | Edel Doran | 0.3 | 123 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Electorate: 74,423 Valid: 42,934 Spoilt: 271 Quota: 10,734 Turnout: 43,205 ||||||||||||||||
* ↑ Cosgrave is a member of Solidarity.

### 2020 general election

Seán Ó Fearghaíl was Ceann Comhairle at the dissolution of the 32nd Dáil and therefore deemed to be returned automatically. The constituency was treated as a three-seater for the purposes of calculating the quota.
2020 general election: Kildare South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
| | Fianna Fáil | Seán Ó Fearghaíl | N/A | Returned automatically | Returned automatically | Returned automatically | Returned automatically | Returned automatically | Returned automatically | Returned automatically | Returned automatically |
| | Sinn Féin | Patricia Ryan | 21.5 | 10,155 | 10,461 | 10,719 | 11,072 | 11,295 | 12,152 | | |
| | Fine Gael | Martin Heydon | 17.1 | 8,069 | 8,120 | 8,218 | 8,567 | 9,010 | 9,651 | 11,676 | 11,710 |
| | Fianna Fáil | Fiona O'Loughlin | 12.6 | 5,927 | 5,985 | 6,043 | 6,176 | 8,177 | 8,936 | 10,370 | 10,425 |
| | Labour | Mark Wall | 12.5 | 5,899 | 5,974 | 6,142 | 6,648 | 6,984 | 7,484 | | |
| | Independent | Cathal Berry | 12.2 | 5,742 | 5,961 | 6,176 | 6,501 | 6,876 | 8,270 | 10,693 | 10,940 |
| | Independent | Fiona McLoughlin Healy | 7.7 | 3,616 | 3,730 | 3,938 | 4,221 | 4,471 | | | |
| | Fianna Fáil | Suzanne Doyle | 7.6 | 3,580 | 3,665 | 3,703 | 3,782 | | | | |
| | Green | Ronan Maher | 3.5 | 1,639 | 1,754 | 2,144 | | | | | |
| | Social Democrats | Linda Hayden | 2.8 | 1,338 | 1,474 | | | | | | |
| | Aontú | Anita Mhic Gib | 1.5 | 697 | | | | | | | |
| | Solidarity–PBP | Róisín Uí Bhroin | 1.3 | 598 | | | | | | | |
| Electorate: 77,719 Valid: 47,260 Spoilt: 440 (0.9%) Quota: 11,815 Turnout: 47,700 (61.4%) ||||||||||||
* ↑ Uí Bhroin was a member of People Before Profit.

### 2016 general election

2016 general election: Kildare South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| | Fine Gael | Martin Heydon | 21.3 | 7,851 | 8,048 | 8,297 | 10,321 | | |
| | Fianna Fáil | Fiona O'Loughlin | 18.8 | 6,906 | 7,073 | 7,373 | 7,905 | 8,149 | 8,974 |
| | Fianna Fáil | Seán Ó Fearghaíl | 17.6 | 6,469 | 6,583 | 6,891 | 7,166 | 7,343 | 8,220 |
| | Labour | Mark Wall | 11.6 | 4,277 | 4,504 | 4,764 | 5,154 | 5,806 | 6,864 |
| | Sinn Féin | Patricia Ryan | 11.6 | 4,267 | 4,459 | 5,294 | 5,434 | 5,485 | |
| | Fine Gael | Fiona McLoughlin Healy | 8.8 | 3,250 | 3,416 | 3,554 | | | |
| | Independent | Declan Crowe | 5.8 | 2,143 | 2,609 | | | | |
| | Green | Suzanne McEneaney | 2.3 | 836 | | | | | |
| | Renua | Mary Kennedy | 2.1 | 787 | | | | | |
| Electorate: 59,162 Valid: 36,786 Spoilt: 386 Quota: 9,197 Turnout: 37,172 (62.8%) ||||||||||

### 2011 general election

2011 general election: Kildare South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
| | Fine Gael | Martin Heydon | 33.3 | 12,755 | | | | | | |
| | Labour | Jack Wall | 27.8 | 10,645 | | | | | | |
| | Fianna Fáil | Seán Ó Fearghaíl | 11.8 | 4,514 | 4,961 | 5,097 | 5,177 | 5,315 | 5,552 | 8,707 |
| | Fianna Fáil | Seán Power | 9.9 | 3,793 | 4,307 | 4,445 | 4,542 | 4,650 | 4,888 | |
| | Independent | Paddy Kennedy | 7.3 | 2,806 | 3,825 | 4,081 | 4,387 | 5,156 | 6,841 | 7,710 |
| | Sinn Féin | Jason Turner | 6.0 | 2,308 | 2,610 | 2,882 | 2,905 | 3,253 | | |
| | Independent | Clifford T. Reid | 2.4 | 926 | 1,410 | 1,644 | 1,873 | | | |
| | Green | Vivian Cummins | 1.4 | 523 | 944 | 1,045 | | | | |
| Electorate: 58,867 Valid: 38,270 Spoilt: 353 (0.9%) Quota: 9,568 Turnout: 38,623 (65.6%) |||||||||||

### 2007 general election

2007 general election: Kildare South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| | Fianna Fáil | Seán Ó Fearghaíl | 25.2 | 8,731 | | |
| | Fianna Fáil | Seán Power | 25.1 | 8,694 | | |
| | Labour | Jack Wall | 20.7 | 7,154 | 7,712 | 9,145 |
| | Fine Gael | Richard Daly | 9.7 | 3,353 | 3,654 | 4,039 |
| | Fine Gael | Alan Gillis | 7.5 | 2,586 | 2,861 | 3,178 |
| | Green | J. J. Power | 6.2 | 2,136 | 2,658 | |
| | Progressive Democrats | Jane Mullins | 4.4 | 1,513 | | |
| | Independent | Tom Doyle | 1.2 | 424 | | |
| Electorate: 56,670 Valid: 34,591 Spoilt: 347 (1.0%) Quota: 8,648 Turnout: 34,938 (61.7%) |||||||

### 2002 general election

2002 general election: Kildare South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| | Fianna Fáil | Seán Power | 23.9 | 7,782 | 7,817 | 7,860 | 9,169 | | |
| | Fianna Fáil | Seán Ó Fearghaíl | 22.6 | 7,370 | 7,458 | 7,501 | 8,426 | | |
| | Labour | Jack Wall | 18.5 | 6,043 | 6,148 | 6,264 | 7,443 | 7,849 | 7,977 |
| | Fine Gael | Alan Dukes | 15.2 | 4,967 | 5,040 | 5,546 | 7,170 | 7,650 | 7,790 |
| | Progressive Democrats | John Dardis | 11.9 | 3,887 | 3,946 | 4,058 | | | |
| | Green | J. J. Power | 3.7 | 1,208 | 1,335 | 1,351 | | | |
| | Fine Gael | Rainsford Hendy | 2.5 | 828 | 850 | | | | |
| | Independent | Ger Fitzgibbon | 1.7 | 546 | | | | | |
| Electorate: 58,354 Valid: 32,631 Spoilt: 501 (1.5%) Quota: 8,158 Turnout: 33,132 (56.8%) ||||||||||

### 1997 general election

1997 general election: Kildare South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| | Fine Gael | Alan Dukes | 21.7 | 6,260 | 6,426 | 7,419 | | |
| | Labour | Jack Wall | 20.3 | 5,834 | 6,077 | 6,251 | 6,870 | 7,039 |
| | Fianna Fáil | Sean Power | 19.7 | 5,665 | 6,048 | 6,124 | 8,066 | |
| | Fianna Fáil | Seán Ó Fearghaíl | 15.6 | 4,503 | 4,750 | 4,795 | 5,907 | 6,601 |
| | Progressive Democrats | John Dardis | 13.5 | 3,895 | 4,038 | 4,114 | | |
| | Fine Gael | Rainsford F. Hendy | 4.8 | 1,371 | 1,399 | | | |
| | Fianna Fáil | Christy Walsh | 2.3 | 662 | | | | |
| | Independent | Francis J. Browne | 2.1 | 618 | | | | |
| Electorate: 47,030 Valid: 28,808 Spoilt: 365 (1.3%) Quota: 7,203 Turnout: 29,173 (60.9%) |||||||||