So, especially given the recent general election and the disappearance of the PD's main player in the constituency from the scene, what impact will recent developments have with respect to the local election results in Cos. Laois and Offaly?

Are the PDs at risk of losing their two seats in Edenderry and one seat in Portarlington/Emo electoral area?

Can Rotimi Adebari make the step up from Portlaoise Town Commission to the County Council?

Will the likelihood of a Cowen ascension to the FF throne lead to an upturn in the party's fortunes relative to their disappointing 2004 LE results?

If he gets the nod this time, Offaly CDC Secretary Stephen Mather should be in with a good shout to take an FF seat in the Edenderry LEA next time round. He's young, has a strong FF lineage, plenty of community involvement and a good location in the south east of the area.

Not biased because he is my cousin!

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It'd be interesting if they were each a separate Dáil 3-seat constituency after the constituency boundary review: the 2009 locals would then take on a huge significance.

I dont see much of a PD meltdown in Laois Offaly. Parlon was reduced to the bare PD vote+1000 Parlon votes. We got around 3000-4000 vottes there before him we can get them after him.

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Big question will be how much of the PD vote holds in Laois. My suspicion is that the PDs will put the focus on trying to retain the Mitchell seat in Emo in the face of a likely immense FF effort to win back their second seat there.

It would indeed and local elections would be equivalent of FG primaries to help determine who would be the Enright running mate in Awfully and the Flanagan running mate in Laois. It would also determine whether anyone could emerge from the pack to challenge the status quo - for instance if Brian Stanley could bring in one or two running mates this time then he would be a significant challenger in Laois.

No matter what efforts the mandarins in the Boundary Commission make to stymie us, FF are going to win big in this area in the 1999 LE. I can see FF winning 3-4 seats from FG in Laois alone and will return to their rightful place as LCC Kingpins

Why would the boundary commission break the law & draw boundaries in a way that's outside it's remit in order to stymie one party?

Why would it matter what happens in 1999 since that year the past?

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Damn, I meant 2009...

Boundary commission, sure they're no different from every one else - all agin FF!

Politics is all about personalities and most of the key FF personalities in Laois-Offaly are sitting either in the Seanad or the Dail. That's why they got a pasting in 2004 and there's no reason why results will be any different this time, save for a "Cowen for Taoiseach" bounce in Awfully.