Fianna Fáil bid to end Dublin Central curse

The final chess piece for the Dublin Central by-election has fallen into place.

Fianna Fáil have selected Cabra-Glasnevin councillor John Stephens as its candidate for the upcoming Dublin Central by-election, as the party looks to win back a seat that has eluded it since the 2007 general election.

Stephens was first elected to Dublin City Council in 2024, and was always the most logical choice for the party to be the by-election candidate; 5-time candidate, Senator Mary Fitzpatrick, ruled out another run at the Dáil.

Stephens now has the task of attempting to win a constituency that Fianna Fáil hasn’t won since 2007, back in the Bertie Ahern days, when the then-Taoiseach was re-elected alongside Cyprian Brady.

On that occasion, Ahern was re-elected to what ended up being his final term as a TD with nearly 36.8% of first preferences, with Brady riding Ahern’s coattails to get elected to the Dáil with 2.7% of first preferences, an unlikely feat which is yet to be repeated in Irish politics.

The preceding 19 years have not been kind to Fianna Fáil in the area, with Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald taking up the mantle of the local politician with a large national profile, and Fine Gael’s Paschal Donohoe mopping up the government party vote.

Fitzpatrick was given the nod to run for Fianna Fáil on five separate occasions, with 2020 marking her best performance at the ballot box, but the Green Wave of 2020 (which saw Neasa Hourigan elected) and the transfer-friendliness of Gary Gannon denting Fitzpatrick’s bid for a Dáil seat.

Despite Fianna Fáil gaining 11 seats nationwide in the 2024 general election, Dublin Central was not one of the pick-ups; Fitzpatrick’s share of the vote dropped from 10.3% in 2020 to 7.2% in 2024.

Eliminated on the 10th count, Fitzpatrick’s 2802 preferences were enough to get Paschal Donohoe over the line, with 1794 of her transfers going to Donohoe and 513 going to Labour TD Marie Sherlock, which proved decisive in her victory over Gerry Hutch.

With just two government party candidates in the race, it remains to be seen if the coalition party voters will transfer to each other in the face of an opposition bloc.

At a local level, Fine Gael enjoys a significant advantage over Fianna Fáil; McAdam has been a councillor for the North Inner City since 2009, and the party has two councillors in Stephens’ own constituency of Cabra-Glasnevin (Colm O’Rourke and Gayle Ralph).

Stephens has been given the task of attempting to re-establish Fianna Fáil at a local level; first elected to Dublin City Council in the 2024 local elections, Stephens is the only councillor the party has at a local level.

The party ran three candidates in the North Inner City constituency in that particular election and ended up with egg on their face, with none of the three candidates being elected.

Stephens, by default, became the only suitable candidate the party had for the by-election.

Currently serving as Deputy Lord Mayor to Lord Mayor Ray McAdam, the by-election will now see the Lord Mayor and his Deputy face off.

Speaking after his selection on Monday evening, Stephens said, “it is an honour to be selected as the Fianna Fáil candidate for Dublin Central. I have lived, worked and played an active role in this community throughout my life.”

“Born in the Rotunda Hospital, Dublin Central has always been my home. I am from here. I have lived the experiences of people in this community, I experienced the challenges the community face and I share their hopes for the future.

The councillor said he will be contesting the election on “three clear priorities”, which involve “making Dublin Central safer, cleaner and tackling the housing challenges facing local families.”

Stephens said that Dublin Central “needs someone from the community to voice their issues within the largest party of government.”

An Taoiseach Micheál Martin said, “John has been a community activist in the area for many years and as deputy Lord Mayor, knows Dublin Central exceptionally well. John knows what works for this area and its people.

“Working in the Mater and also being involved as a Board member of Grangegorman Development Board, John has a deep understanding of the importance of public service and how crucial education opportunities are. I look forward to canvassing with John over the coming weeks.”

Minister Darragh O’Brien will serve as Director of Elections for the May by-election, and said on Monday evening, “I look forward to working with our candidate, councillor John Stephens, in the Dublin Central by-election. John brings deep local knowledge of the constituency, having lived there all his life, and knows firsthand the issues that matter to people. He also has a long record of community activism and hands-on experience on the ground.”

“He has a proven record of service as Deputy Lord Mayor and as a Dublin City councillor, along with a clear law and order message on crime and a strong commitment to advocating for safer streets. I look forward to supporting him throughout the campaign,” he said.

Stephens will appear on the ballot alongside Fine Gael councillor Ray McAdam, Social Democrats councillor Daniel Ennis, Green councillor Janet Horner, Labour candidate Ruth O’Dea, Sinn Féin councillor Janice Boylan, People Before Profit candidate Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin, Aontú candidate Ian Noel Smyth, independent councillor Malachy Steenson, and independent candidate Gerry Hutch.