John Lahart (59) was first elected to Leinster House in 2016, having been a member of South Dublin County Council since 1999. He was Fianna Fáil's spokesman on Dublin and deputy chief whip in the last Dáil.

Originally from Ballyroan, Rathfarnham, he was educated in Coláiste Éanna, a Christian Brothers secondary school. He trained as a teacher at the Mater Dei Institute of Education and taught at Ballinteer Community School between 1995 and 2000.

He was special adviser to former Fianna Fáil TD Tom Kitt between 1992 and 1994 and from 2000 to 2007. Kitt represented the former Dublin South constituency from 1987 to 2011.

Among particular areas of concern are services for children with autism, and the provision of special needs assistants. He has worked closely with the Green Party leader Eamon Ryan on a number of environmental issues. He is single, lives in Knocklyon and enjoys reading biographies, walking and golf.