The vacant seat on Fingal County Council has finally been filled.
Daniel Whooley of the Greens was elected from the Ongar ward in 2019, but resigned his seat from Fingal County Council in the middle of last year.
Michelle Griffin was co-opted into the seat at the most recent meeting of Fingal County Council, with the motion put forward by Councillor Pamela Conroy and seconded by Councillor David Healy.
Griffin said her co-option wouldn’t have been possible without the support of Dublin 15’s own Roderic O’Gorman and Conroy.
In her inaugural speech, she said she would look to bringing “the best of Green values to our communities.”
“The heart of Ongar village has been my home for almost 20 years, and I’m aware of the many issues we face there.”
“I’m aware of the environmental issues that face Ongar and beyond. Let’s not forget that our diversity comes with many strengths too. It is crucial for our wellbeing.”
Acknowledging that Ongar is “fragmented” and “highly-populated,” Griffin said “as Councillor I’m prepared to engage with local people, voluntary groups and stakeholders and work constructively with a view to social equity.”
“I’m driven by the sentiments and the spirit of our communities, and I want to uphold the importance of public contribution.”
Griffin paid tribute to Whooley upon his resignation from the Council, saying he was a “committed” public representative who was committed to tackling issues facing young people.
“I’m aware of the incredible work Daniel has done to engage with his constituents, and I want to do more to make more inroads with the people of Ongar.”
Whooley became the first Green elected from the Ongar area in the 2019 local elections, seeing off candidates from Labour, Social Democrats, and Solidarity to win the seat as well as denying Sinn Féin and Fine Gael a 2nd seat in the ward.