Fine Gael councillor Ray McAdam has been named the new Lord Mayor of Dublin.
The North Inner City councillor was first elected to Dublin City Council in 2009 and has since gone on to win re-election in every local election since.
Despite a last-minute push from Sinn Féin, the Social Democrats, People Before Profit and left-leaning independents calling for Labour and the Greens to pull the plug on Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, the coalition remained in place and McAdam was confirmed as Lord Mayor.
The Progressive Alliance’s nominations for the role of Lord Mayor and Deputy Lord Mayor, Sinn Féin councillor Kourtney Kenny and Social Democrats councillor Lesley Byrne, failed to gain the necessary majority as Labour and the Greens voted to remain in the governing coalition.
McAdam succeeds Fine Gael colleague Emma Blain in the role, who suceeded Dublin Bay South TD James Geoghegan in the role following his election to the Dáil last November.
A close ally of Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe, McAdam said “Dublin is a city I love deeply, but like many Dubliners, I know it can do better.”
“That’s why the theme of my mayoralty is simple but powerful: Celebrating Dublin. To celebrate Dublin is not to ignore its problems. It’s the opposite. It’s about lifting our city up and asking it, and ourselves, to live up to the best of what it can be.”
The Lord Mayor stated that “cities across the world are being reshaped by post-pandemic life, changing how we shop, move, gather, and live. Dublin can’t drift – it must lead. This Commission will bring people together from every part of city life to ask one central question: what should Dublin’s city centre feel and look like by 2050?”
- Tackling vacancy and dereliction by creating a public Dublin Vacancy Map and pushing for the reuse of empty buildings;
- Promoting sport and physical activity in every neighbourhood through the ‘Get Dublin Moving’ initiative;
- Embedding accessibility and inclusion into the city’s services and spaces as part of a new Dublin Disability Inclusion Drive;
- Establishing ‘Young Dubliners Speak’ – a citywide platform to give young people a voice in shaping civic life.
“These priorities reflect the Lord Mayor’s belief that Dublin’s future must be built with ambition, inclusion, and collaboration at its heart,” McAdam said.
Fianna Fáil councillor John Stephens will serve in the role of Deputy Lord Mayor.
Fianna Fáil leader on Dublin City Council, Racheal Batten said, “John’s election comes at a time when our group is focused on bringing the Council back to basics—delivering for the people of Dublin.”
“He will be a strong voice for our priorities: expanding green spaces, enhancing recreational facilities, and addressing the housing needs of our communities.”