University of Dublin (constituency) - Politics of The Constituency

Politics of The Constituency

Throughout the history of this constituency, during the union, it supported (usually very strongly) Tory, Conservative and Unionist candidates (including the Liberal Unionist and Independent Unionist members).

The only partial exception was the tenure of the Whig MP, William Plunket, 1st Baron Plunket, in 1812-1827. It should be noted that Plunket accepted office in what in retrospect are considered Tory governments. Given the state of the party system in the early 19th century, when William Pitt the Younger (now considered a Tory Prime Minister) called himself a Whig, it is not too surprising that Plunket was his Attorney General for Ireland. It is surprising that Plunket did not follow most of Pitt's supporters in calling himself a Tory soon after the Prime Minister's death. It is astonishing that a Whig was again Attorney General for Ireland in the Earl of Liverpool's very Tory ministry between 1822 and 1827. Plunket was perhaps more an 18th century than a 19th century Whig, so as to be acceptable to the university electorate.

Since 1922, most of the representatives of the University have been Independent members of the Oireachtas.