Local Elections: Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown results

The local election field in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council stands out in terms of gender balance, with equal numbers of men and women among the 80 candidates competing for 40 seats.

Housing and the cost of living are among the issues being raised with candidates on the doorsteps while migration has provoked concerns – for and against. In Dún Laoghaire, the Living Streets initiative, involving cycle lanes and route changes for motor vehicles, has proved controversial with complaints about car journeys taking twice as long as before.

The Green Party, significant winners last time around, when it gained a seat in each of the six local electoral areas and topped the poll in four, will be hoping it can again outperform predictions. In the Dún Laoghaire and Blackrock areas, where Ossian Smyth, now a Minister of State, polled 3,147 first preferences and Séafra Ó Faoláin received 3,127 respectively, the party could lose half its votes and still comfortably retain its seats.

Sinn Féin lost all three of its seats in 2019 and had very low first preference votes in several areas. Shane O’Brien, a parliamentary assistant in the Oireachtas, came sixth in first preferences in the seven-seater Killiney-Shankill and could make a breakthrough this time having moved to the Dún Laoghaire local election area.

Aontú candidate Mairéad Tóibín, a sister of party leader Peadar Tóibín, could make a breakthrough for the party in the Dún Laoghaire local area. Independent candidate Cormac Lucey, an accountant and commentator championed by former tánaiste Michael McDowell, is regarded as being well placed in Blackrock.

Blackrock: 6 seats

Dundrum: 7 seats

Dún Laoghaire: 7 seats

Glencullen – Sandyford: 7 seats

Killiney – Shankill: 7 seats

Stillorgan: 6 seats

[ View 2019 Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Counil results ]