Constituency Profile:
The population of this urban constituency stood at 129,379 in 2006, having increased by 4.4% between 2002 and 2006.
The relatively small constituency comprises Cork city centre below the River Lee, the south city suburbs and surrounding hinterland.
The main areas in the city are Ballinlough, Ballintemple, Ballyphehane, Bishopstown (part), Blackrock, Douglas, Glasheen (part), Grange, Mahon, Monkstown and Togher.
The dormitory towns include Ballinhassig, Carrigaline, Crosshaven, Passage West and Ringaskiddy.
Health, education and the airport continue to provide significant employment in the area. High-tech firms also provide substantial employment for constituents.
The large pharmaceutical employers in the constituency have been hit hard in recent years.
Constituency Boundaries: There have been no changes since the 2007 election.
Seats: Five
2007 Quota: 9,845
2011 Candidates
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Dan Boyle - Green Party
After losing his seat in the 2007 general election, Dan Boyle was nominated by Taoiseach Bertie Ahern to the Seanad. He has been Chairman of the Green party since October 2007.
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Jerry Buttimer - Fine Gael
A Senator since 2007, this is Jerry Buttimer's second general election. He has opposed his party's plans to abolish the Seanad.
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Deirdre Clune - Fine Gael
A daughter of former Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Peter Barry, Deirdre Clune has won a seat in two of the three Dáil elections she has contested.
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Simon Coveney - Fine Gael
Simon Coveney was first elected in a 1998 by-election, he was returned to the Dáil at both the 2002 and 2007 general elections. He is the Fine Gael spokesperson on Transport.
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Paula Desmond - Labour Party
A daughter of two former TDs, Dan and Eileen Desmond, this is Paula Desmond's first time to contest a general election. Desmond has been a member of Cork County Council since 1985.
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Sean Dunphy - Independent
Sean Dunphy is running as an Independent candidate.
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Mick Finn - Independent
Mick Finn is the son of a Councillor and a Councillor himself, Finn is is a first-time Dail candidate. Finn has previously worked as a Parliamentary Assistant to John Dennehy, then a Fianna Fáil TD.
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Eric Isherwood - Independent
Eric Isherwood is the father of autistic twins who he says have been abandoned by the state, Isherwood's mini-manifesto calls for TDs salaries to be capped at €30,000.
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Gerard Linehan - Independent
Gerard Linehan is running for the second time in a General Election. He polled 155 votes when he stood in Cork South Central in 2007.
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Ciarán Lynch - Labour Party
Ciarán Lynch is a brother-in-law of fellow Labour TD in Cork, Kathleen Lynch. He won seat on his first Dáil election outing in 2007.
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Micheál Martin - Fianna Fáil
Micheál Martin was first elected to Dáil Éireann in 1989, Martin resigned as Minister for Foreign Affairs in January 2010 after opposing a confidence vote in Brian Cowen as party leader. He has since been elected the eighth leader of Fianna Fáil.
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David McCarthy - Independent
David McCarthy is a communications consultant, who has previously worked on election campaigns for MEPs Kathy Sinnott and Seán Kelly. He is a first-time election candidate.
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Michael McGrath - Fianna Fáil
Michael McGrath was elected to the Dáil on his first attempt in 2007. He was appointed party Spokesperson on Financial Sector reform by Micheál Martin in January 2011.
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Ted Neville - Independent
Ted Neville ran unsuccessfully in both the 2002 and 2007 general elections. He is standing on an anti-immigration platform.
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Diarmaid ó Cadhla - Independent
Diarmaid ó Cadhla is a first-time candidate. Ó Cadhla is a National Spokesperson for a group called The People's Convention, which calls for decisions and votes of the Dáil to be 'made following local consultations and accepting mandate from the people.'
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Finbarr O'Driscoll - Independent
Finbarr O'Driscoll is an independent candidate.
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Chris O'Leary - Sinn Féin
Previously a General and European election candidate for the Green Party, Chris O'Leary resigned from the party in protest at the Government's budget cuts. After as period as an Independent Councillor on Cork City Council, he joined Sinn Féin in July 2010.
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Sitting TDs: Michael McGrath (FF), Simon Coveney (FG), Micheál Martin (FF), Deirdre Clune (FG), Ciaran Lynch (Lab)
Sean Donnelly's analysis:
Another five seater, another chance for Fine Gael to win three seats. Outgoing deputies Simon Coveney and Deidre Clune are likely to be joined in the Dáil by Senator Jerry Buttimer, providing they manage their vote sufficiently well. This contest will be a big test for new Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin. His own seat is secure but the same cannot be said of his running mate Michael McGrath with Fianna Fáil now looking unlikely to win more than one seat in any constituency. Labour’s Ciaran Lynch looks secure but Paula Desmond will find it difficult to emulate her parents, both of whom were elected to Dáil Eireann. Former Green Party councillor Chris O’Leary is likely to substantially outpoll his former colleague Dan Boyle and with plenty of left wing candidates below him O’Leary could pose a threat but it is unlikely to be enough to deprive Fine Gael of the final seat.
Sean Donnelly's prediction:
1FF, 3FG, 1LB. (Simon Coveney FG, Micheal Martin FF, Ciaran Lynch LB, Jerry Buttimer FG, Deidre Clune FG.) FG Gain from FF.
2007 General Election
With Batt O’Keeffe moving out of the constituency to Cork North-West, the party was always going to struggle to retain the seats in 2007. In the end, they did not.
While Micheál Martin topped the poll, the overall drop in support for the party to 44.3% ensured that only newcomer Michael McGrath was elected alongside him.
Their FF colleague John Dennehy lost his seat to a resurgent Fine Gael, which had targeted this constituency for a seat gain.
The Fine Gael vote surged 19.1% in 2002 to 28.4% in 2007. This was enough ensure the election of Deirdre Clune, alongside that of outgoing TD Simon Coveney.
The increase in Labour’s vote was also significant. Rising to 9.3% from 5.9%, it secured the election of first-time candidate, Ciaran Lynch.
2002 Turnout: 62.3%
2007 Turnout: 65.5%
Oireachtas Constituency Information
Twitter hashtag: #csc
