Limerick woman takes seat for Green Party in Dublin

NEASA Hourigan, from Limerick’s North Circular Road, has been elected for the Green Party in Dublin.

Ms Hourigan, a daughter of the former mayor of Limerick Michael Hourigan, and sister of prominent sociologist Dr Niamh Hourigan, secured her seat in the 33rd Dail on the final count.

In total, she accumulated 6,551 votes, passing the quota, and leaving Finance Minister Pascal Donohoe to be elected without a quota in the Dublin Central constituency.

Like the soon-to-be Limerick City Green Party TD Brian Leddin, Ms Hourigan had only seen in politics since May last when she was returned to Dublin City Council.

Speaking to the Limerick Leader from Dublin, her father, the former Fine Gael councillor Michael said he is delighted, and proud.

Over the last four weeks, he has swapped Limerick for the capital to campaign for his daughter.

“If you want guided tours of Glasnevin, Cabra and Drumcondra, I’m your man,” he joked, “It was a difficult enough campaign. It was a difficult campaign, but lucky enough, we got the votes at the end of the day.”

Asked what he’d put Ms Hourigan’s popularity down to, he said: “She worked very very hard. Then she did an awful lot of media work on radio both locally and nationally. She was always very open to this. She had a great team of people working with her. But it was down to herself for the greatest part.”

Delight for Green Party’s Neasa Hourigan, who exceeded the quota on the final count in Dublin Central. @neasa_neasa @rtenews pic.twitter.com/whwMBM5zF6

— RTEdublinCENTRAL (@RTEdubCENTRAL) February 10, 2020

Michael admitted that he had mixed emotions due to the fact his own party had lost seats in the election.

“I met Paschal [Donohoe] a number of times on the campaign trail. He is a pure gentleman, and he understood where I was coming from. Family is family as far as I’m concerned,” he said, “He is a decent man, a good guy.”

“It was a tough say for Fine Gael. When you focus your whole life on a party, and you’re involved every day, you would have an alliance to the party. My family comes first though, and when Neasa decided to go for the Green Party, I knew where my loyalties lay,” he added.

Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald topped the poll in Dublin Central, with a whopping first preference vote. She was joined by Ms Hourigan, Social Democrats candidate Gary Gannon and Mr Donohoe, who was elected without reaching the quota.