Labour select Sherlock to run in Dublin Central

Labour has selected Senator Marie Sherlock to run in Dublin Central in the upcoming general election.

Sherlock, previously served as a councillor in Cabra-Glasnevin before being elected as a Senator in 2020.

Dublin Central was the former seat of veteran Labour TD Joe Costello, but Labour hasn’t won the seat since 2011.

In the last general election, Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald secured 35.7% of first preferences, while Green TD Neasa Hourigan and Social Democrats TD Gary Gannon also won seats in the constituency in 2020.

Hourigan, widely expected to be named as deputy leader of the Greens over the weekend, is a leading figure of the Greens’ left-wing while Gannon has served as the Soc Dems’ spokesperson on education, foreign affairs, and the arts since 2020

Dublin Central is also the home to Fine Gael Minister Paschal Donohoe.

Sherlock is the 2nd candidate to declare in Dublin Central, with Fianna Fáil Senator Mary Fitzpatrick looking to make it third time lucky in a bid for a Dáil seat and win the seat that was formerly held by Taoiseach Bertie Ahern.

Sherlock said she wants to fight for a “fairer Dublin” and said she was “thrilled” to be selected.

Since being elected to the Seanad in 2020, Sherlock has served as Labour’s spokesperson on employment affairs, the arts, as well as culture, media and the Gaeltacht.

Sherlock has been a vocal critic of Green Minister Catherine Martin over her handling of the RTÉ scandal, saying her position as Minister was “untenable” earlier this year.

In recent times, Sherlock has launched high-profile campaigns to save the post office in Phibsborough, pressure the government to provide more spaces for artists, and called for waste management to fall back under municipal control after years of privatisation.

With Labour celebrating the best set of local election results since 2009, with major victories including Aodhán Ó Ríordáin’s election as MEP and becoming the joint-largest party on Fingal County Council, a victory in Dublin Central is now seen as key to Labour’s electoral comeback.