Of course, as with the earlier posts relating to potential target constituencies for Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and Sinn Fein, the elephant in the room here relates to the strong likelihood that there will be a significant reduction in the number of Dail seats for the next general election. (adriankavanaghelections.org)
The Labour Party made significant gains in the February 2011 election, almost doubling their share of the vote nationally and increasing their number of Dail seats from 20 to 37. (adriankavanaghelections.org)
These factors include the reduction in Dail seat numbers (from 166 to 158) and other changes made to general election boundaries by the 2012 Constituency Commission (which militated against Labour while seeming to advantage other parties, but notably Fianna Fail) as well as the increased competition the party now faces on the Left from Sinn Fein, other smaller left - wing parties and left - of - centre independents, as well as from Fianna Fail. (adriankavanaghelections.org)