West well represented at cabinet over the years

Mayo has been the best-represented county at Cabinet, excluding Dublin and Cork, since independence,

That's according to an analysis carried out by Fianna Fáil Senator Malcolm Byrne He has examined the line-up of every Cabinet since 1922 and apart from Dublin (with 69) and Cork (17), Mayo topped the league table of Cabinet representation with 12 senior ministers. per head of population, His analysis also found that the western counties of Limerick (with nine ministers), Galway (seven) and Clare (seven) make up the top six in the league table of Cabinet representation by county. Wexford has had four senior ministers since independence along with Waterford. Kilkenny has had five, Wicklow six and Carlow one