Ryan will not contest the general election

DUBLIN Fingal will have at least one new TD after the next general election. 

It follows the news that sitting TD Brendan Ryan (Lab) will not be contesting the upcoming election. 

Cllr Duncan Smith, who represents the Swords Local Electoral Area (LEA) on Fingal County Council, contested the Dublin Fingal By-Election last November for Labour with the seat ultimately going to Joe O’Brien, the Green Party candidate.

Cllr Smith will be tipped by many to run again for the party with the hope of holding onto the Labour seat.  

Deputy Ryan made his decision public following a meeting of the Labour constituency executive last week. 

He said it has been a great privilege and honour to represent the people of Dublin Fingal in Dáil Éireann for nearly nine years, and in Seanad Éireann from 2007 to 2011. 

“I want to thank my constituents and friends for their support over that time and I am very grateful for the trust they placed in me over three general elections,” said Deputy Ryan.

“It was a momentous period of time that saw great change and upheaval across the political spectrum and I am proud to have played my part in that as a Labour Party representative.

“I announced to my constituency colleagues that I have decided not to contest the next general election, whenever it comes.

“We have always been a strong and committed Labour team in Dublin Fingal, and we have had a very successful local elections in 2019. 

“We elected a great team of young councillors with one elected in each local electoral area in our Dáil constituency.”

Deputy Ryan said he spoke to all of the party’s councillors after the local elections last May and told them he had no desire to hold any of them back if they wished to take the next step and run for the Dáil. 

“The recent by-election presented an opportunity for the next generation to come through, and our candidate, Cllr Duncan Smith, showed the strength of the Labour Party in Dublin Fingal,” said Deputy Ryan.

“I am confident we can hold our Labour seat in a general election with a new candidate and because of that I believe the time is now right for the transition to the next generation.” 

The Labour Party will hold a selection convention to decide on its candidate for the constituency.

Labour Party leader Brendan Howlin TD thanked Deputy Ryan for his years of service to the people of Dublin Fingal and the Labour Party.

“While Brendan will continue to serve the people of Fingal up until a general election is called, I fully appreciate this was a difficult decision for him to reach,” said Deputy Howlin.

“For over a decade, Brendan Ryan has been a stalwart of the Labour Parliamentary Party and I want to acknowledge his years of service in his constituency, work he will continue to carry out up until this Dáil is dissolved.”