Dublin mayor Ray McAdam said he was “in it to win it” before being chosen as the Fine Gael candidate for a by-election caused by the resignation of Paschal Donohoe, reports Breaking News.
Donohoe stepped down as finance minister and TD to take up the second-highest role at the World Bank, serving as managing director and chief knowledge officer, reports Breaking News.
At a selection convention held in Dublin city on Monday, party members were told that McAdam, a former parliamentary assistant to Donohoe, was the only person nominated to run as the party’s candidate.
Originally from Cavan and a father of one, McAdam has lived in Dublin for over two decades and has served as a councillor for 17 years, reports Breaking News.
He told attendees that Dublin “deserves the very best”, praised the “honesty” of the Dublin Central constituency, and repeated that he was “in it to win it”.
“There is no constituency quite like Dublin Central,” he said, reports Breaking News.
He paid tribute to communities “of workers and carers” who have “known pressure”, saying the by-election offered a choice between “a voice of noise or a voice of substance, a voice that comments on problems or a voice that works to solve them”.
Those present at the convention included director of elections Minister of State Neale Richmond, TD Emer Currie, MEP Regina Doherty, Senator Evanne Ni Chuilinn, and Fine Gael secretary general John Carroll, reports Breaking News.
Mr Richmond praised “the great” Mr Donohoe and expressed gratitude for his service to the constituency.
Councillor Colm O’Rourke, who nominated McAdam, said he had learned canvassing skills from him before adding: “Let’s take our seat back in Dublin central”, reports Breaking News.
Among those confirmed to run in the Dublin Central by-election are Gerry “The Monk” Hutch, who narrowly missed out on a seat in the 2024 general election, and councillor Janice Boylan, an ally of Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald.
She had sought the Sinn Féin nomination in a contest against Gillian Sherratt, the mother of Harvey Morrison Sherratt, a nine-year-old who died after waiting years for spinal surgery, reports Breaking News.
Other candidates include Social Democrats councillor Daniel Ennis, Green Party councillor Janet Horner, Labour’s Ruth O’Dea, musician Eoghan O Ceannabhain representing People Before Profit, and Ian Noel Smyth of Aontu.
The Dublin Central by-election is scheduled to take place in May, alongside a by-election in Galway West following Catherine Connolly’s move to the presidency, reports Breaking News.
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