Denis O’Callaghan elected as Cathaoirleach of Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown

Councillor Denis O’Callaghan has been elected Cathaoirleach of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council.

At the council’s annual general meeting on June 12, the Labour councillor who represents Shankhill, ran unopposed.

Denis was first elected to Dublin County Council In 1991 and he has since been re-elected at each local election.

A native of County Cork, Denis moved to Dublin in 1965 and lives in Shankill.

Councillor O’Callaghan is a retired postal worker with a long and distinguished career.

He was previously elected Cathaoirleach of DLR in 2007/2008 and served as Leas-Cathaoirleach in 2006/2007 and also serves on various committees including the Dún Laoghaire Area Committee, Joint Policing Committee, Housing, Economic Development & Cultural SPC’s. He is also a board member of Southside Partnership.

Following the election, councillor O’Callaghan outlined his main priorities for the year, including housing, climate action and progressing projects such as the Blackrock Waterfront Project, Shanganagh Master Plan and the open space at Shanganagh Cliffs, Shankill.

“I commit to ensuring that our social housing projects currently being built will be progressed without undue delay across the County, especially the housing development under construction at Shanganagh in Shankill and the co-operative development at Loughlinstown, also under construction,” he said.

“Over the next four years the Council is on target to deliver 1,500 housing units through builds, part V’s and AHB’s”

Green Party councillor Eva Dowling was also elected as Leas-Chathaoirleach.

Councillor Dowling was elected in the Stillorgan Local Electoral Ward in 2019 as a first time councillor.

She is a graduate of University College Dublin and the University of Edinburgh.