South (European Parliament constituency)

The South constituency was a European Parliament constituency covering the Republic of Ireland. It elected Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) using the single transferable vote. Established in 1979, it existed until 2014.

Historically, its geographical composition varied over time, but it consistently encompassed counties in the southern part of Ireland. The exact boundaries were adjusted periodically to reflect population changes and ensure proportional representation. Typically, it included counties such as Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Clare, Tipperary, Waterford, Kilkenny, Wexford, and Carlow. The specific combinations and the inclusion of certain smaller regions might fluctuate between European Parliament elections.

MEPs elected from the South constituency represented a diverse range of Irish political parties, reflecting the multi-party system in Ireland. The constituency generally saw strong competition between Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, Labour, and other smaller parties and independent candidates.

Due to reforms in the allocation of European Parliament seats, the South constituency, along with the East, North-West and Dublin constituencies, were abolished for the 2014 European Parliament election. They were replaced by three larger constituencies: South, Midlands–North-West and Dublin. The geographical region previously covered by the South constituency was largely incorporated into the new South constituency.