So what have Westmeath and Donegal or Clare got in common?

It would be interesting to carry out a poll in the Athlone area this week, to see what percentage of the people set to vote in the local and European elections in just over two weeks" time, could name the full line-up of candidates running in 'this' constituency for the European posts. Indeed, it might be interesting to ask people can they name the constituency in which Westmeath finds itself for this election. And indeed, what might also be interesting would be to record their reactions as they learn that they are in Ireland"s 'North West' constituency - along with Donegal, Sligo, Galway, Leitrim, Mayo, Roscommon, Clare, Cavan, Longford and Monaghan. So while Dublin is just 35 miles up the road from Westmeath"s eastern boundaries; while vast numbers of people from this catchment area travel daily to Dublin to work; while this county looks eastward, thinks eastward, even plays its football, 'eastward', for the purpose of this election we are deemed to share the same needs, interests and requirements as people in Clare - several hours" drive away - or Donegal, which is even further. With twelve European seats up for grabs, surely the country could have been divided up into a more logical fashion. The precedents are there. Even if we voted by province, and allocated the seats on a per-head of population basis, it would make more sense than the current set-up. For the candidates themselves, it must be nightmare territory. How is a Donegal-based candidate, or a Sligo-based candidate to carry out any sort of effective canvass in a place like Moate? There will be voters from this county who will receive their European ballot paper on June 5, and promptly shred it, because they won"t know a face nor a name from the list of those running. The inclusion of Westmeath in this ridiculous North West constituency is as ridiculous as the revival, for the last general election, of the old Longford Westmeath constituency - which has left Westmeath (population 79,346) with just two TDs, while Longford, whose population is less than half of that (34,391) also has TDs. Athlone"s division between Roscommon and Westmeath has meant that it"s potential has never been properly harnassed. Sure, we"ve more councillors than most towns of our size, because of this division. But sometimes too many cooks can spoil the broth - and we need a more cohesive structure to run a growing town like Athlone. Now it appears that Athlone will not be fully represented at European level. You can shout: but there"s no-one of influence locally to listen.