Independent councillor Francis Timmons has announced that he has joined the Labour Party and announced his intention to run for the Dáil for the party.
Timmons, who won three terms on South Dublin County Council as an independent, joined the party on Friday and will seek the party’s nomination in Dublin Mid-West.
Timmons will now sit with Labour on South Dublin County Council, bringing their total number of councillors to 4, marking the most number of Labour councillors since 2014.
Timmons topped the poll in Clondalkin in June’s local elections (while running a poster-free campaign), and Timmons the Labour banner is a major coup for the party which hasn’t held a seat in the constituency since 2011 when it won two seats.
In June, Timmons was elected on the first count in Clondalkin with 15.5% of first preferences, his best-ever performance as an election candidate.
Timmons’ performance saw him top the poll in a 7-seater where Sinn Féin’s 4-candidate strategy faltered, with their 4 candidates securing a combined vote share of 15.9% and getting just 1 candidate – William Carey – elected.
Labour’s candidate, Josh Ellul, received 1.8% of the vote.
In the 2011 general election, Joanna Tuffy and Robert Dowds won seats for the party, before the emergence of Sinn Féin’s Eoin Ó Broin in 2016 and his running mate Mark Ward in 2020 (as well as People Before Profit’s Gino Kenny) saw the left-wing vote move elsewhere.
Labour hasn’t held the seat since 2016, when both Tuffy and Dowds lost their seats.
Discussing his decision, Timmons said “in the recent local elections I was very proud and honoured to have been elected for a third time as an independent councillor; over the past 10 years I have a proven track record of effecting positive change in our county and now I want to take that tenacity and record of delivery for people to a national level. ”
“I was recently asked to put my name forward to be the general election candidate for the Labour Party in Dublin Mid-West and after much consideration and consultation with my supporters, I have decided to put myself forward.”
Timmons said that Labour aligns with his own personal goals and values.
“The history and values of the Labour Party as a progressive centre-left party are ones I share. I have also admired Labour’s determination in driving social change in Ireland for decades, having led the way in divorce, marriage equality and many other social reforms.,” he added.
Timmons said that Tuffy and Dowds had advised him on a potential Dáil run in recent weeks.
‘’”Now more than ever, we need a strong voice so we can come together to shape policies that makes Ireland a fairer, kinder, better place.,” he said.
TImmons has received the backing of party leader Ivana Bacik, who said “I am delighted that Francis will be joining the Labour team and seeking the nomination in Dublin Mid-West. ”
“Francis is a tireless worker for his community and has campaigned for a more tolerant, equal and fair society. It’s really positive to see experienced, dedicated public representatives like Francis joining the party as we seek to build a better Ireland.”
Labour’s selection convention has yet to take place, but should Timmons secure the nomination he would be facing off against Sinn Féin’s Eoin Ó Broin and Mark Ward, Fine Gael Minister Emer Higgins and running mate Vicki Casserly, Social Democrats councillor Eoin Ó Broin (no relation to the Sinn Féin housing spokesperson), former Green TD and independent Paul Gogarty, Fianna Fáil’s duo of councillor Shane Moynihan and Lynda Prendergast, Independent Ireland councillor Linda de Courcy and Irish Freedom Party councillor Glen Moore.