Meet the Dublin Central by-election candidates: Social Democrats Councillor Daniel Ennis
Accessing funding for community projects, a radical reset for the housing crisis, and an action-oriented stance on anti-social behaviour are key driving points of Social Democrats Councillor Daniel Ennis’s bid for Dublin Central.
As part of Dublin Live’s Local Democracy Reporting Scheme’s coverage of the upcoming Dublin Central by-election, we reached out to Cllr Ennis and all the Dublin City Councillors currently in the running. By putting forward questions on the big issues affecting Dubliners, these profiles aim to provide voters with the information they need to make an informed choice come election day.
Cllr Ennis was elected to Dublin City Council in 2024 and since then has focused on tackling poverty and the cost of living, addressing the loss of vital community spaces, and highlighting the need for youth diversion programmes and crime prevention in the North Inner City. Determined to advance legislation that addresses the “structural inequalities” marginalised people face, he believes he can take his work to the next level as Dublin’s newest TD.
Having watched community groups achieve great things “on a shoestring budget” or seeing “adult children still living in their parents’ box rooms,” Cllr Ennis told Dublin Live that a seat for him in Dáil Éireann would allow him to advocate for investment in communities. “I would demand increased funding for our local authorities to build more social and affordable housing and enact policies that prioritise the needs of our communities,” he said.
To get to the other side of the housing crisis in Ireland, Cllr Ennis believes that “nothing less than a radical reset” is required. With many of his constituents living in homes “riddled with damp and mould” he’s calling on the government to prioritise developing affordable and social housing while upgrading and retrofitting current social housing stock.
“I see the devastating consequences of vacancy and dereliction every single day. We must empower our local authorities to build, but they need adequate, ring-fenced funding to do so. We also require a strong compulsory purchase order system and a targeted vacant property tax with real teeth to address vacant homes,” he said.
In order to boost building efforts from both the state and local authorities, the Social Democrats have proposed the creation of a State Construction Company to act as a direct developer to solve the housing emergency. Alongside this, Cllr Ennis also stresses the need for an immediate eviction ban to prevent homelessness and at risk-families losing their houses.
“We need to build 10,000 affordable homes and 12,000 social homes each year, ultimately reaching a total of 50,000 homes annually . A tax on land-hoarding and vacant properties will bring much-needed homes back into use, and we will ban the bulk buying of homes by vulture funds to ensure our housing market serves the people,” he said.
Stating that an “over-reliance on the private market simply isn’t working,” he’s calling on central government to “put people before developers.” “We need a strategy that puts housing first,” he said.
As a father of two young children living in Dublin Central, Cllr Ennis said he is constantly engaging with parents, neighbours and friends who ask “why is it so hard” to get by these days. “People with well-paying jobs are struggling every week, squeezed by rising costs across the board,” he said.
He said that struggling to secure childcare for his two year old daughter highlighted the plight so many in the community face to provide for their families and stressed he’s now “paying almost as much as a mortgage each month for that ‘luxury’.” With expenses such as this “impacting every single part” of people’s lives he said that emergency energy cost reliefs and community-led initiatives will be central to his approach for tackling the cost of living crisis.
Speaking out for the youth of Dublin’s North Inner City has been a consistent topic for Cllr Ennis who explained that, growing up, he was saved by a youth diversion project and knows “first-hand how crucial youth services, community groups, and sports clubs are for keeping our young people on the right track.” Working together with Gardai and community members, he said he’s determined to unlock at-risk youths’ potential to succeed and provide them “the right support, tools and opportunities.”
“To reinstate a sense of safety within our communities and tackle anti-social behaviour, we must start by enhancing the visible presence of An Garda Síochána in the areas that need it most, alongside targeted policing strategies for specific issues,” he said.
“I’ve consistently called for action on the use of scramblers , advocating for both the enactment of legislation and a dedicated policing plan and unit to combat this scourge. We must also be honest about distinguishing between anti-social behaviour and serious criminal activity. Too often, we see senior government representatives failing to recognise the real dangers facing our communities until it’s too late.”
However, Cllr Ennis said supporting youth must go beyond just policing and he’s calling for “real investment, not just token gestures” that improves infrastructure and provides young people with the facilities they need. The loss of play spaces and sports pitches amid housing developments have been a key point of concern, and for months Cllr Ennis has been advocating to ‘ save the Strand ’ at Portland Row, where sports icons like Kellie Harrington and Troy Parrott first played.
“Increasing community engagement and fostering dialogue is essential. Investing in these projects is vital, and history has shown us that we can’t simply police our way out of these challenges. By promoting a more visible police presence in collaboration with community leaders and organisations centered around a community policing model, we can help rebuild trust and safety in our areas,” he said.
In order to balance the needs of long-standing residents and international communities, Cllr Ennis said the key is “fostering unity and cohesion.” By working with the IPAS centres across Dublin, he’s said he’s sought to promote “sharing in one another’s cultures while respecting the historic roots of our communities.” “Our city should feel as welcoming to someone like me - whose family has lived in our area for four generations - as it does to someone who has recently arrived seeking a better life,” he said.
By creating platforms where all residents can come together, Cllr Ennis said that the “blight” of misinformation, lies, fear, and hate spread online can be addressed. He’s calling for a “bottom-up approach” to tackling “hate, bigotry and racism” and said that sports, arts and culture are “some of the most powerful tools for bringing people together regardless of their background.”
“I have used football in my work with the local club, East Wall Bessborough FC, as a medium for interaction, understanding, and engagement. Through initiatives like this, people have the opportunity to meet and get to know one another, recognising that new members of our communities are not problems or numbers - as often portrayed - but are people like you and me who share the same hopes and dreams for their families. You can’t hate up close,” he said.
Cllr Ennis believes his “deep-rooted commitment to social justice and community organising" makes him stand out and he’s committed to continuing that work if elected as a TD. “I have witnessed first-hand the challenges our communities face in my own area and within my own family, and I have fought against them, whether through my work in local sports clubs or as a city councillor,” he said.
While Cllr Ennis’s time in the political arena has been short, he cites “projects and initiatives that will bring lasting change” for local communities and said he is running on a platform of “compassion, solidarity, and a relentless pursuit of equality.”
“I am determined to bring this ethos to the Dáil. I will bring honesty, hard work, and a deep humanity to national politics - qualities that are sorely lacking at the moment across Leinster House,” he said.
This content is funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme