Election 2024Constituency Profile

Dublin West constituency profile: Fine Gael Senator has decent chance of picking up Varadkar seat

Sinn Féin TD Paul Donnelly should be returned, but it might be a big ask for the party to take two seats

Dublin West
Election 2024: The Dublin West constituency traditionally has had a left-leaning streak
Cormac McQuinn's picture
Cormac McQuinn
Thu Nov 07 2024 - 12:22

Outgoing TDs: Jack Chambers (FF), Roderic O’Gorman (GP), Paul Donnelly (SF), Leo Varadkar (FG – retiring)

Who are the candidates running in Dublin West? Deputy Jack Chambers (FF), Deputy Roderic O’Gorman (GP), Deputy Paul Donnelly (SF), Senator Emer Currie (FG), Cllr Tania Doyle (Ind), Cllr John Walsh (Lab), Cllr Ellen Troy (Aon), Cllr Breda Hanaphy (SF), Cllr Ruth Coppinger (PBP-Sol) Cllr Patrick Quinlan (NP), Lorna Nolan (FF), Umar Al-Qadri (Ind), Ellen Murphy (SD), Susanne Delaney (Ind), Natalie Treacy (Ind)

The departure of a big political beast, former taoiseach Leo Varadkar, from the stage leaves his 2020 running mate, Senator Emer Currie, as Fine Gael’s standard bearer in Dublin West.

The constituency has no shortage of high-profile names, with Fianna Fáil Minister for Finance and deputy leader Jack Chambers and Minister for Children Roderic O’Gorman both seeking re-election. Chambers should retain his seat but can he bring in running mate Lorna Nolan? She was unsuccessful in her bid to be elected to Fingal County Council in June.

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O’Gorman’s new status as Green Party leader as well as the extra seat added to the constituency should help his bid to get over the line. There will, however, be significant competition on the left in the form of Labour councillor John Walsh, who got almost 2,000 votes in the local election, and People Before Profit-Solidarity councillor Ruth Coppinger – a former TD who got more than 1,500 votes herself in June. This pair could be competing for the fifth seat.

Fine Gael’s Currie is the daughter of the late Northern Ireland civil rights leader and one-time Fine Gael presidential candidate Austin Currie. She has spent much time campaigning on the issue of childcare provision in the constituency and has a decent chance of retaining the seat being vacated by former party leader Varadkar.

Sinn Féin’s outgoing TD, Paul Donnelly, should be returned but it might be a big ask for the party to take two seats. Cllr Breda Hanaphy is his running mate. A possible spanner in the works for Sinn Féin could be the decision by one of its former councillors, Natalie Treacy, to enter the race as an Independent.

Independent councillor Tania Doyle – who was assaulted while putting up posters during the local election campaign – has not been deterred by that experience and is running this time too. She went on to top the poll in the Ongar local electoral area in June with more than 2,000 votes, which is a good base for her bid for a Dáil seat. She could be one to watch.

Cllr Patrick Quinlan of the far-right National Party was elected to Fingal County Council in the Blanchardstown-Mulhuddart local electoral area on an anti-immigration-focused platform in June. However, with just 456 votes on that occasion it is difficult to see him taking a Dáil seat.

The constituency has had a left-leaning streak traditionally, previously returning TDs such as the Socialist Party’s Joe Higgins and Labour’s Joan Burton. A rapidly growing part of the capital, Dublin West has an extra seat this time around. It contains disadvantaged areas but also well-off suburbs and includes places such as Blanchardstown, Mulhuddart, Ongar and Castleknock. Housing, infrastructure, schools and childcare places are big issues.

Possible Outcome: Sinn Féin (1), Fianna Fáil (1), Fine Gael (1), Green Party (1), battle between Lab and PBP-Sol for the other seat