Fianna Fáil councillor Daithí de Róiste has been elected as the new Lord Mayor of Dublin, with party colleague Claire O’Connor serving as his deputy.
Councillor De Róiste, who was first elected to the Council in 2014 at the age of 26, succeeds Councillor Caroline Conroy in the role.
Taking to Twitter, De Róiste said he was “truly humbled” at the support he had received from his Council colleagues, and pledged to make Dublin a “city of kindness.”
Citing a campaign by the mayor of Californian city Anaheim, De Róiste outlined his plans for his tenure as Lord Mayor.
“A small act of kindness can make a big difference in someone’s day,” he said.
“It is a program that costs nothing that anybody can start. I’d like to invite each and every councillor in this chamber, in the coming year and beyond, to focus on making Dublin the city of kindness.”
“I would like to establish a forum on the creation of a city charter to promote a more inclusive and accessible city that would be adopted by councillors,” he said, with the likes of communication boards in playgrounds, sensory rooms in every library and sensory rooms in buildings in high footfall areas cited as ways of fulfiling his vision.
“Together, we can create a city that radiates compassionate empathy in every aspect of its existence.”
Since his election to the Council, De Róiste has served as a member of the Citywide Joint Policing Committee and has criticised attacks on Gardaí in the Ballyfermot area as well as voicing displeasure with the downgrading of the Garda station in the area.
De Róiste notably voted with the Sinn Féin council motion to extend the ban on evictions earlier this year, stating at the time he wanted to “look my friends and family in the eye”.
The Councillor represents the Ballyfermot/Drimnagh local electoral area is actively involved in his community, leading young first aid groups, supporting Irish language youth clubs and GAA clubs, serving on the board of a local primary school, campaigning on local issues such as suicide prevention and serving as the honourary President of Ballyfermot United.
De Róiste will serve in the role until next June, with strong indications that Dubliners may be voting on a Directly-Elected mayor on the same day as the Local and European elections.
The aftermath of the 2019 Local elections saw an agreement reached between the parties on the Council with saw 2 Fianna Fáil, two Green Party and one Labour Councillor serve as Lord Mayor of Dublin, with the appointment of De Róiste marking the end of the agreement.