Soc Dems pick Hearne as Shortall replacement

The Social Democrats have picked housing expert Rory Hearne as their general election candidate in Dublin North-West.

Hearne will look to win the seat held by party co-founder Róisín Shortall, who has held a Dail seat in the constituency since 1992.

Shortall won elections as a Labour candidate five times from 1992 to 2011, before winning as a Social Democrats candidate in 2016 and 2020.

Shortall announced she would not be running in the upcoming general election earlier in July.

Hearne was the Social Democrats’ European candidate in the sprawling Midlands-North-West constituency in June, where he finished 13th out of a 27-candidate pool with 2.2% of first preferences.

Sinn Fein’s Dessie Ellis topped the poll in the Dublin North-West in 2020 with an eye-watering 44.4% of first preferences, with Shortall amassing 18.9% in her final election run-out.

Prior to joining the Social Democrats, Hearne ran for People Before Profit in the former constituency of Dublin South-East at the 2007 general election.

On that occasion, he received 1.7% of first preferences in a constituency that contained heavy hitters such as future Sinn Féin TD Chris Andrews (who topped the poll as a member of Fianna Fáil), then-Labour leader Ruairi Quinn, then-Green leader John Gormley, Fine Gael TD turned Renua leader Lucinda Creighton and then-Tánaiste Michael McDowell.

Since then, Hearne made a name for himself as the Associate Professor in Social Policy at Maynooth Univesity and is the author of the best-selling book Gaffs where he outlines how Ireland can solve the housing crisis.

Shortall said “it has been an incredible honour to represent this constituency for more than three decades. I am always mindful that I was able to do that because the people of Dublin North-West placed their trust in me for seven consecutive general elections.”

“I am now asking those who supported me to put their trust in Rory, who I believe, would make an exceptional TD for this area. I know he shares my vision for improved public services, a properly functioning health service and housing that is genuinely affordable.

“From standing up to vulture funds to working with the homeless, Rory has been a powerful and empathic voice for the generation locked out of housing in Ireland. I wish him every success in the general election and look forward to campaigning with him.”

Hearne said he was “honoured” to have been selected as the candidate in Dublin North-West, and said he would work “tirelessly” to hold onto Shortall’s seat.

He said that Shortall has left him “extremely big boots to fill” but said he was “really excited about the challenge ahead.”

“As someone who has lived on Dublin’s northside for 20 years and is raising a young family here, I am acutely aware of the issues affecting the constituency – not least the housing crisis,” he said.

“As a father, it breaks my heart that there are still thousands of children in Ireland living in homelessness, growing up in hotels and in family hubs.

“Like all parents, I worry every day about what the future is going to look like for our children, from the housing crisis to the environment and the growing divide in Ireland.”

“For me, out of all the parties in Ireland, the Social Democrats have demonstrated the most political will to solve the major challenges facing us as a country,” he said.

“I will do everything possible to ensure that the people of Dublin North-West will continue to have strong representation in Dáil Eireann by a Social Democrats TD after the general election.”

The Soc Dems won a seat in the two local electoral areas that make up Dublin North-West in June’s local elections.

Mary Callaghan won a seat for the party in the competitive Ballymun-Finglas, and the party went one better in Artane-Whitehall by getting two candidates elected in the form of Jesslyn Henry and Aisling Silke.