Mulhall takes seat on Council

Vanessa Mulhall has been co-opted onto South Dublin County Council. 

Mulhall is a member of the Green Party, and is taking the seat vacated by former Councillor Liam Sinclair who resigned from his seat in October.

Sinclair was initially elected in 2019 as a member of the Green Party, but defected from the party in early 2021 to join An Rabharta Glas – Green Left.

Speaking to Southside People in October Sinclair said that representing his community was a “privilege and an honour” but conceded that even in the event he was re-elected next May, he would have only carried on for one more term.

“I think I knew from the start this was not going to be a long-term thing for me,” he said.

In his farewell speech, Sinclair criticised what he called “a lack of ambition” on South Dublin County Council.

Speaking at the meeting, Sinclair said “at the start of the term, we were given a mandate to declare a climate emergency, and there were pretty words on that day, but since there has been little demonstration that we recognise the seriousness of the problem.”

“The most underwhelming thing is that everyone here wants what is best for their community, and I hope that core motivation remains, but I hope bravery and honesty is added to it.”

“I want local government to succeed, I want the people in the chamber to succeed, but if you want my vote, I want you to promise to be a thorne in the side of establishment thinkers.”

Sinclair praised his replacement, saying that she is “so diligent and so hard-working,” and that “Tallaght are getting a great representative.”

As a result of Sinclair’s resignation, his seat needed to be filled, and by virtue of Sinclair being elected as a member of the Green Party, a Green Party member had to take his seat.

Mulhall was selected at a party meeting in November to be co-opted into his seat.

Mulhall previously served as the Green Party’s local area representative in Tallaght, works in the office of TD Francis Noel Duffy, and is the current co-chair of Young Greens.

Mulhall ran for the Greens in 2019 in the Lucan ward, but failed to be elected on that occasion.

Duffy welcomed Mulhall’s co-option onto the Council, saying “she is a passionate force for change and for the community, and I have no doubt she’ll be bringing great ideas to the table.”

Former Lord Mayor of Dublin Hazel Chu said “even before her co-option, Vanessa was one of the hardest working reps I know. I can only imagine the lengths she’ll go to represent her community and her constituents.”

Killiney-Shankill representative Lauren Tuite said that Mulhall “will lead with patience, experience, and granular knowledge of her ward.”

In her first speech as Councillor, Mulhall said “I know we only have a short time until the local elections, but I want to use my time to engage and encourage as many young people as possible, that’s an important goal for me.”

“I have a strong background in community youth work, and in politics, they talk about the small pea and the big pea. In politics, personal is always the politics. No matter what happens here impacts so many people outside, and we really need to bring the community in with us on the decisions we make in here.”

Mulhall will stand for election in the constituency of Tallaght Central in next year’s local elections.