Fine Gael targeting two seats in Dublin Bay North

General election season has kicked off, with Fine Gael selecting two candidates to run in Dublin Bay North.

Fine Gael will be looking to win two seats in the constituency following the retirement of long-serving TD Richard Bruton.

Councillors Naoise Ó Muirí and Aoibhinn Tormey have been selected to run for the party in the constituency.

Ó Muiri previously ran for the party in Dublin Bay North in 2016 garnering 3.9% of first preferences and was Lord Mayor of Dublin between 2012 and 2013.

More recently, Ó Muiri topped the poll in the incredibly competitive Clontarf constituency, getting elected on the first count with 17.5% of first preferences.

Tormey also recently secured re-election onto Fingal County Council, racking up 11.3% of first preferences in Howth-Malahide and being the 2nd candidate elected in a competitive 7-seater.

Ó Muirí said “I am delighted to have been selected by the local Fine Gael membership in Dublin Bay North to carry the Fine Gael flag and contest the next general election in our constituency.”

“As an experienced public representative in our area for 20 years I will work very hard to get elected and to represent the interests of the people of Dublin Bay North in Dáil Éireann.”

“Availability of housing is the most pressing issue in our community today; as a parent of three school-goers I understand families concerns,” he said.

“I’ll be pushing hard for expansion of housing policy in areas like factory-built housing, zero VAT rating for new builds, planning reform and other areas that can make a real difference to supply.”

“As someone with direct experience of working in the small and medium enterprises sector, I will strive to ensure that the issues and challenges faced by this vital sector of the economy are to the forefront in the formulation of both enterprise and social policy”

Tormey said, “I am grateful to the Fine Gael members in Dublin Bay North who have selected me as a candidate, and I look forward to engaging with residents across the constituency to ask them for their number one vote to become a TD for the area.

“I hope to continue the high standard of representation the constituency has experienced from Richard Bruton TD who has done the State a tremendous service over the course of his career and wish him all the best in the future.

“The next generation of Fine Gael TDs will address the challenges we face into the future– climate change, delivering more housing, improving public transport, investment in education, improvements in our health service, mental health and disability services, as well as business supports, access to childcare, and more gardaí on the streets.

“Drawing on my experience as a senior clinical psychologist in mental health services and over five years as a county councillor, I am committed to bringing a fresh perspective and dedicated leadership in tackling these issues” she added.

The constituency will be one of the main battlegrounds at the next general election, and the departure of three heavy hitters – Richard Bruton, Fianna Fáil’s Sean Haughey and newly-minted Labour MEP Aodhán Ó Ríordáin – means that this 5-seater will be one of the most competitive constituencies in the battle to form the next Dáil.

Sinn Féin’s Denise Mitchell blew the competition out of the water in the 2020 general election with 29.8% of first preferences, which would have been enough to elect a 2nd Sinn Féin candidate had they brought in a running mate.

Social Democrats TD Cian O’Callaghan’s profile has grown rapidly ever since the 2020 general election, becoming deputy leader (and soon to be interim leader) of the party which had a stellar set of local election results.

Fine Gael attempting to win two seats in a redrawn political map (which still remains a 5-seater) is key to them forming the next government.