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GE2024Independents DayFIFTEEN INDEPENDENT TDs have been elected to the new Dáil – and just three of these are new TDs (although one was previously a TD with a political party in the past).
Polls suggested non-party candidates could get close to 17 or 18% of the vote, but in the end, independents got closer to 13%. Commentators said the swing was because they were viewed as a less toxic brand in the run-up to the general election.
Many incumbent independent TDs were returned to the Dáil this year. But there are also some new faces who will be around the halls of Leinster House for the duration of the next five years.
Gillian Toole, who was a poll-topper in Ratoath during the local elections in June, has been a councillor for ten years. She took the fourth seat in Meath East yesterday on the final count.
Originally a member of Fine Gael, Toole left the party before the local elections in 2019 – citing frustration over public transport, healthcare and community safety in her constituency.
During her time as a councillor, Toole has focused on quality of life issues in Meath, such as the retention of public services and returning to her roots in healthcare to campaign for better reforms.
She was supported and backed during her campaign by independent senator Sharon Keoghan. Toole is the first non-party candidate to be elected to Meath East.
In her responses to questions posed to all candidates by The Journal before the election, she said she plans to place an onus on all TDs to fix public sector systems, such as housing and healthcare, and address generational impoverishment.
Barry Heneghan, 26, is one of the youngest TDs to be elected to the 34th Dáil and campaigns for housing and access to education for younger people in Ireland. He was elected to Dublin Bay North on the 16th count last night.
Heneghan has a background in engineering, graduating from Dublin City University in 2022 with a Masters’ degree. He was elected and an independent councillor to Dublin City Council in June.
He is a protégé of Finian McGrath, former Independent TD for the same constituency and junior minister for disability in the 2016-2020 government of Fine Gael and the Independent Alliance.
Heneghan told The Journal before the election that he wants to see younger people gain better access to homeownership and wants the government to build up to 60,000 homes over the next term.
He suggested that modern solutions, such as modular housing, and higher taxes on vacant properties should be used to increase housing figures. Heneghan also plans to advocate for better rights for those with disabilities and reforms in special education.
McGrath told The Journal that he believes the next government will be made up of Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and a handful of independent candidates. Heneghan’s take? He will take some time to discuss with the “kitchen cabinet” first.
Paul Gogarty is certainly no stranger to politics or the electorate of Dublin Mid-West. He has served as an independent councillor for South Dublin County Council since 2014 and previously served as a Green Party TD between 2002-2011.
Gogarty has also contested every general election since 1992 – but has only been an independent candidate since 2014. He was elected last night after the 13th count.
Though he’s probably best known for his 2009 ‘unparliamentary language’ incident during an extremely-tough time in Irish politics, Gogarty believes he still has a “positive contribution” to make to Irish society.
He told The Journal before the election that he believes he will bring a balance of experience and fresh thinking to the Dáil. He campaigned for the provision of better housing, community and transport infrastructure.
Despite letting his membership of the Green Party lapse in 2014, Gogarty is still passionate about addressing the climate crisis and believes the State needs to move towards prioritising renewable energy and using new technology to address it.
He intends to advocate for the better use of public funds while in the Dáil and, whether in government or opposition, address staffing issues in healthcare and judicial reform. He dedicated his election win to his late sister, Emma.
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Travellers
What happened to the “family” members well known to the Gardai? Were they dyed for injuries caused? Did they get time? What happened ?
Sued……
@Alan Cooke: Don’t be ridiculous.
The taxpayer pays for it all..sure aren’t we loaded.
You’d find the family involved haven’t two pennies to rub together…
I feel for the Garda, it’s a rough line of work, especially having to deal with this section of society that is encouraged by our Government to continue living in the filthy, disgusting manner that they do.
I have always said that they get away with murder because the Garda are afraid of them. If a tax payer like myself was to drive for 5 minutes without tax or insurance I’d have squad cars all over me. The people in question are a law unto themselves. It’s not a f*cking culture, it’s not a race, it’s bunch of criminals taking the piss and taking our money.
I’m no right wing xenophobe, I’d take 1000 Syrian refugees over having one more of these f*ckers in our country. Who do you think would contribute more to society?
Break them up for good, stop their benefits, stop giving them ANYTHING and lay the f*cking law down on them once and for all.
Eoin. Every Prison in the country has a population of them. But is it a deterence, No. When members of your family have been continually locked up going back a dozen generations it becomes normal for them. So blaming the Gardai is pointless.
@Eoin Fitzpatrick. Well said. They’re nothing but a blight on Irish society.
@Eoin Fitzpatrick: Well said Eoin. Unfortunately these gutter rats are the one’s that get the most protection and assistance from the state. Our justice system is nothing but a disgrace.
I forgot to mention their Sharia law for women…
I don’t understand why there isn’t an insurance policy to deal with these cases. Surely this would take out the high court and legal fees and save the state thousands.
@john B; The state wouldn’t work that way, but I’m sure they could have settled through mediation without going to court.
John B. Let’s say for argument sake that they were insured through a private insurance company. So being realistic because of the nature of the Job the premiums for each individual Garda average out at €5000 per year. With 13,000 Gardai that equates to €15 Million per year in Premiums. Now ask yourself does the state pay out €15 Million per year in Garda compensation claims? So which is the cheaper option for the tax payer?
Sry that should be €5,000 x 13,000 Gardai = €65 Million in Premiums.
90,000 is a lot and while I am not saving he doesn’t deserve it, it plays into the whole compo and insurance problems in Ireland…
@Paul: The real question is, how much will the people who started and caused the problem have to pay? €0. Can we seriously consider getting a protest going for justice in this country and we get it sorted once and for all.
Not only will the travellers not pay a cent but you will continue to pay their welfare and pay for the house they wrecked and the house currently wrecking
Sounds like people that would say howya boss
Ah cmon, he got involved in a fight with a load of drunken people and was awarded 90k
That sort of thing happens to people every weekend.
He deserved a few bob for the hassle but 90k…
@Stephen Maher: “That sort of thing happens to people every weekend.”
Really? Know a lot of people that get told ‘“I’m going to have you shot McGowan, you b&stard” and “I know where you live. We’ll burn you out.” while doing their job every weekend?
What’s €90K going to do for him with respect to somebody shouting abuse at him? Look your man hit his arm to break free and he received ‘soft tissue damage’. To you and I this is a common day bruise, nothing more. We all know that this is a compo gravy train, for the solicitors, the claimants, the staff employed to process the claims etc. It’s a great excuse for insurance companies to profiteer through increasing premiums also. It’s the modern day equivalent of the army deafness claim debacle some years back. If somebody is seriously hurt due to state negligence then they should receive compensation. I’m struggling to see how the state is negligent in this case where a garda effectively received a bruise. What happened to the colleague? Has he/she also got a claim in?
He needed surgery on his spine after being assaulted doing his job. He has been affected permanently. Its nobodys job to get assaulted. Nurses deal with these vermin regularly too and if one of them suffered the same fate nobody would question compensation. It was also just over 60000 when you take out his fees . Hardly a record payout for someone that has had there life affected
I don’t know any called McGowan but Iv heard people being threatened countless times over the years, and seen hundreds assaulted, witnessed a shooting, saw a girl run over in a hit and run.
Dublin is a lovely place.
@Michael Devlin: spine injury is seperate to this case..90 grand for a bruise?..probably 6 months off work..and he brought his wife to the incident? how much will she get ? cop on ..its a gravy train ..900 queuing up…
@Stephen Maher: THIS HAPPENED IN ARKLOW..YOU KLIPE
Ye I know , and your point is what?
Just waiting for the assh*le comments saying he doesn’t deserve it, that it’s all in the line of duty.
It happened 18 years ago? That’s a disgrace to wait that long.
Youknowhesright
Between the legal profession/judges and the garda they are taking the state for for fools. The self employed at the end of the day are the ones that are picking up the bill..Great little country. 900 cases awaiting trial. It’s a scandal the payouts awarded.
Coz only self employed pay tax etc??????
If u want to become a Garda it has to be Insurance in order to pay compensation payment from taxpayers!
Thosj. And who pays the premiums to the insurance company?
The judges are a joke, and some gardai have no shame.
have your say