2019 Dublin Fingal by-election

A by-election was held in the Dáil Éireann Dublin Fingal constituency in Ireland on Friday, 29 November 2019, to fill the vacancy left by the election of Independents 4 Change TD Clare Daly to the European Parliament.

2019 Dublin Fingal by-election
29 November 2019
Turnout25,344 (25.6%)
 
Nominee Joe O'Brien Lorraine Clifford-Lee Duncan Smith
Party Green Fianna Fáil Labour
First preferences 5,744 4,631 3,821
Percentage 22.9% 18.5% 15.2%
Final count 12,315 7,754 -
 
Nominee James Reilly Dean Mulligan Ann Graves
Party Fine Gael Inds. 4 Change Sinn Féin
First preferences 3,707 2,550 1,327
Percentage 14.8% 10.2% 5.3%
Final count - - -
 
Nominee Tracey Carey Gemma O'Doherty Glenn Brady
Party Social Democrats Independent Independent
First preferences 1,106 1,026 670
Percentage 4.4% 4.1% 2.7%
Final count - - -
TD before election

Clare Daly
Inds. 4 Change

 TD

Joe O'Brien
Green

It was held on the same day as three other by-elections in Cork North-Central, Dublin Mid-West and Wexford.[1] The Electoral (Amendment) Act 2011 stipulates that a by-election in Ireland must be held within six months of a vacancy occurring.[2] The by-election writ was moved in the Dáil on 7 November 2019.[3][4]

At the 2016 general election, the electorate of Dublin Fingal was 93,486, and the constituency elected one Fianna Fáil TD, one Independents 4 Change TD, one Fine Gael TD, one Labour Party TD, and one Sinn Féin TD.[5]

The election was won by Fingal County Councillor Joe O'Brien of the Green Party. It was the first by-election won by a Green Party candidate. Karen Power was co-opted to O'Brien's seat on Fingal County Council following his election to the Dáil

Among the candidates were 2 Senators Lorraine Clifford-Lee and James Reilly and four Fingal County Councillors Ann Graves, Dean Mulligan, Joe O'Brien and Duncan Smith.

This was the first occasion when by-elections were contested by Independents 4 Change (who also contested Dublin Mid-West) and the Social Democrats (who also contested Cork North-Central and Dublin Mid-West).

Campaign

During the campaign, the Fianna Fáil candidate Lorraine Clifford-Lee was embroiled in controversy when she had to apologise for the language she had used in tweets she had made in 2011, which were derogatory towards the Traveller community.[6]

Result
2019 Dublin Fingal by-election
PartyCandidateFPv%Count
12345678
Green Joe O'Brien 22.9 5,744 5,837 5,965 6,091 6,784 7,984 9,183 12,315
Fianna Fáil Lorraine Clifford-Lee 18.5 4,631 4,672 4,766 4,929 5,252 5,648 6,547 7,754
Labour Duncan Smith 15.2 3,821 3,866 3,926 4,008 4,347 4,999 6,300  
Fine Gael James Reilly 14.8 3,707 3,753 3,803 3,882 3,992 4,200    
Inds. 4 Change Dean Mulligan 10.2 2,550 2,606 2,745 2,909 3,754      
Sinn Féin Ann Graves 5.3 1,327 1,361 1,402 1,481        
Social Democrats Tracey Carey 4.4 1,106 1,125 1,214 1,273        
Independent Gemma O'Doherty 4.1 1,026 1,088 1,149          
Independent Glenn Brady 2.7 670 726            
Independent Peadar O'Kelly 1.4 350              
Independent Charlie Keddy 0.4 112              
Independent Cormac McKay 0.2 46              
Electorate: 99,039   Valid: 25,090   Spoilt: 254 (1.0%)   Quota: 12,546   Turnout: 25,344 (25.6%)

    See also

    References
    1. "Four by-elections likely to take place in November". RTÉ News. 17 September 2019.
    2. "Electoral (Amendment) Act 2011". Irish Statute Book. Retrieved 17 September 2019.
    3. "Writs moved for four Dáil by-elections". RTÉ News. 7 November 2019.
    4. "Dáil Éireann debate - Thursday, 7 November 2019: Dublin Fingal By-election: Issue of Writ". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 9 November 2019.
    5. "Dublin Fingal – General Election: 26 February 2016". ElectionsIreland.org. Retrieved 17 September 2019.
    6. "Clifford-Lee very sorry for offensive language used in tweets". RTE.ie. 16 November 2019.
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