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1994 Dublin South-Central by-election
By-election to the 27th Dáil From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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A by-election was held in the Dáil Éireann Dublin South-Central constituency in Ireland on 9 June 1994. It followed the resignation on 24 February 1993 on health grounds of Fianna Fáil Teachta Dála (TD) and former Minister for Health John O'Connell.
 | This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (April 2020) |
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The election was won by Dublin City Councillor and former TD Eric Byrne. This was the first time Democratic Left won a by-election.
Among the candidates were Senator and future TD Michael Mulcahy, Brian Hayes who would go on to serve as both a Minister of State and MEP, Dublin City Councillor Joe Connolly and South Dublin County Councillor and future Senator Cáit Keane.
On the same day, a by-election took place in Mayo West.
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Background
Fianna Fáil TD John O'Connell, a former Ceann Comhairle and previously Minister for Health, announced on 24 February 1993 that he would resign as a TD due to ill health, forcing a by-election in the constituency.[1] Another by-election was due to be called after Mayo West TD Pádraig Flynn was appointed as Ireland's European Commissioner.[2] Opposition parties initially pushed to hold the by-elections as early as possible, but an April 1994 motion proposed by Democratic Left leader Proinsias De Rossa to force the elections was voted down by government parties Fianna Fáil and Labour.[3] The date of the election was later set to 9 June 1994.
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Candidates
Summarize
Perspective
Democratic Left
One of the first candidates to declare their intention to run was Dublin City Councillor and former TD for the constituency Eric Byrne. Byrne was elected at the 1989 general election as a Workers' Party TD,[4] but stood as a candidate for Democratic Left at the 1992 general election. After a long count, Byrne lost his seat to Fianna Fáil's Ben Briscoe by five votes.[5]
Fianna Fáil
Initial speculation suggested that some potential Fianna Fáil candidates included the party's third candidate at the last election councillor Michael Mulcahy, thrice unsuccessful Dublin South candidate Ann Ormonde, councillor Seán Ardagh and previous TD for the constituency Mary Mooney.[6] Olympic gold medalist boxer Michael Carruth's name had been floated as a potential high-profile candidate, though Carruth's PR team denied knowledge of any approach to him.[7] In April 1993, it was reported that O'Connell's son, Dr. John O'Connell Jnr., was the most likely nominee, with Ardagh his closest challenger.[8] Nevertheless, Michael Mulcahy was selected as the party's candidate.[9] Dublin Central TD Bertie Ahern was Mulcahy's director of elections.[10]
Fine Gael
Speculated Fine Gael candidates included Norma Mitchell, wife of sitting TD for the constituency Gay Mitchell,[11] local councillor Stan Laing, former councillor from Rialto Peter Burke, Clondalkin councillor Therese Ridge and former Lord Mayor of Dublin Alexis FitzGerald Jnr.[12] It was reported in April 1993 that former TD for Dún Laoghaire and women's rights activist Monica Barnes would be the front-runner for the nomination.[13] In January 1994, Young Fine Gael member Brian Hayes was selected as Fine Gael's candidate.[14]
Labour Party
Dublin City Councillor for Rathmines, Mary Freehill, had been suggested as a potential Labour Party candidate for the seat.[6] There had been some suggestion that celebrity psychiatrist Anthony Clare would contest the election for Labour, but sitting TD for the constituency Pat Upton backed local councillor and founder of the Community Games, Joe Connolly.[15] Connolly was selected as the Labour candidate in June.[16]
Independents and others
In August 1993, Eamonn Gavin stated he would stand as an independent candidate.[17] The main witness in the controversial "Tallaght Two" case, Gavin said he would run as a "law and order" candidate.[18]
In April 1994, councillor Cáit Keane was selected as the Progressive Democrats' candidate for the election.[19] Three candidates from Crumlin ran; librarian John Goodwillie for the Green Party, student Martina Gibney for Sinn Féin and Dublin Corporation foreman Shay Kelly for the Workers' Party.[10] Two other independents stood; businessman Michael Park from Kimmage and perennial candidate Benny Cooney from Athlone in County Westmeath.[20]
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Campaign
From the get-go the by-election campaign was expected to be a bitter one, and a test of the incumbent government's approval.[21] Following the raising of property taxes and cutting of tax reliefs in the 1994 budget, the government were expected to take a hit at the polls.[22]
Fianna Fáil pursued a vote-transfer agreement with their cabinet colleagues in Labour for the by-elections here and in Mayo West, though it was believed that Labour activists in the constituency were opposed to a formal vote arrangement.[23] Two days before the election, Tánaiste and Labour Party leader Dick Spring rejected calls for a voting pact between the two parties.[24]
Fine Gael candidate Brian Hayes was noted to have produced a leaflet with a picture Dick Spring with the caption "Tricky Dicky", asking "Would you buy a used car from this man?", an allusion to a poster regarding Richard Nixon during the 1960 United States presidential election.[25] During the campaign, independent candidate Eamonn Gavin called on a national referendum to be held on the legalisation of flogging for criminals.[26]
Result
Director of elections for the Fianna Fáil campaign, Bertie Ahern, conceded the election after the first count, saying that a vote pact between them and Labour may have changed the result.[27]
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See also
References
External links
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