West Belfast is Northern Ireland’s 15th-largest constituency by population, with 93,940 residents as of the 2024 mid-year estimate. It covers 45.2 square kilometres — the 17th-largest constituency by area — giving it the 3rd-highest population density in Northern Ireland, at 2,078.3 people per square kilometre.
Who represents you
Turnout in West Belfast at the 2022 Assembly election was 64.7%. The constituency currently elects five MLAs:
- Aisling Reilly — Sinn Féin (Minister)
- Danny Baker — Sinn Féin
- Gerry Carroll — People Before Profit
- Órlaithí Flynn — Sinn Féin
- Pat Sheehan — Sinn Féin
Health
Life expectancy in West Belfast runs well below the Northern Ireland average for both sexes: 74.5 years for men (NI average 78.8) and 77.9 years for women (NI average 82.5), based on 2021–2023 data.
Disease prevalence is a mixed picture. Rates of asthma, COPD, stroke and mental health conditions run above the NI average per 1,000 patients (2024–2025 data), while hypertension, chronic kidney disease and cancer run below it.
Education
School leavers in West Belfast trail the NI average across every attainment measure tracked for 2023–2024 — 82.8% achieved at least 5 GCSEs at grades A*–C or equivalent, against an NI average of 87.4%.
Economy and benefits
The employment rate in West Belfast rose from 52.4% in 2014 to 63.2% in 2024, running well below the Northern Ireland average of 74.3%. Benefits claims are correspondingly high — 20.4% of the population claims Personal Independence Payment, against an NI average of 11.4%.
Data sources
Figures are drawn from the NI Assembly Research and Information Service’s Constituency Profiles dashboard, sourced from NISRA, the Department of Health, the Department of Education, the Department for Communities and the Police Service of Northern Ireland. Most recent update: April 2026.
Track West Belfast’s MLAs and constituency page at mlas.news/constituency/west-belfast/.