Extra seat for Dublin Fingal

WHILE Dublin Bay North may be a congested field, the Dublin Fingal constituency could be viewed as one of opportunity.

The new constituency replaces the old four-seat Dublin North with a few new areas added to the mix. 

Therefore, there will be at least one new face when the newly elected members of the next Dáil line up for the photo opp in March. The four sitting TDs are Dr James Reilly (FG), Alan Farrell (FG), Brendan Ryan (Lab) and Clare Daly (United Left). 

The latter would seem to have the strongest chance of retaining her seat with many tipping the former Socialist Party standard bearer to top the poll with a bit to spare. 

That could open a passage for her running mate Barry Martin, although it’s hard to see UL taking two seats here. 

If Daly is favourite to win the race, then Brendan Ryan could be the most vulnerable given Labour’s woes in recent times with the electorate apparently lying in the long grass waiting to pounce on polling day. Deputy Ryan is still popular in the north county though and this might just be enough to get him over the line.

Will Fine Gael hold onto its two seats? It could be a case that one of their candidates might have to clear out his office in Dáil Eireann very soon.  

Senator Darragh O’Brien, who won a seat in Dublin North in 2007 but lost it in 2011, is favoured by many to take a seat for Fianna Fáil. His running mate is the relatively unknown Lorraine Clifford-Lee, and it would be a major surprise if the Soldiers of Destiny came away with two seats. 

Balbriggan-based councillor Tony Murphy is running under the Independent Alliance banner. Cllr Murphy  will be hoping that a big vote in his home town is the springboard towards claiming the final seat. 

Joe O’Brien is the Green Party’s candidate and will be an outside bet to win back Trevor Sargent’s old seat. Louise O’Reilly, who was considered something of a surprise choice by Sinn Fein to run here, is expected to feature strongly and could also make strong claims for the last seat.

Terry Kelleher and Gerry Molloy are running for Anti Austerity Alliance/People Before Profit and Renua respectively, while Independents Roslyn Fuller, Fergal O’Connell and Marcus de Brun complete the field. 

Geography:

The new constituency, which starts in Balbriggan in the north, incorporates all of the old Dublin North constituency, and Swords-Forrest and Kilsallaghan from Dublin West and Balgriffin and Turnapin from Dublin North East. 

Issues:

Crime, housing, Metro North and Rush Beach sewage problems are just some of the issues.