New voice for North Inner City as Ennis seat on Dublin City Council co-opted
Former Dublin City Council Daniel Ennis TD’s seat has been co-opted following his election to Dáil Éireann.
At a special council meeting held yesterday evening, the Social Democrats nominated Ellen O’Doherty as a member of DCC. Cllr O’Doherty previously ran in the local elections in 2024 but was unsuccessful, gaining 5.3% of first preference votes, narrowly behind Mr Ennis’s 6.5%.
Cllr O’Doherty previously worked as an administrator in the HSE and for the past eight years has been in the public sector. Recently, she has worked alongside Rory Hearne TD on housing issues in the Oireachtas. “Housing is a massive reason why I ran in 2024, it’s a huge passion of mine, it will continue to be so,” Cllr O’Doherty said, following her co-option in City Hall last night.
“I ran in 2024 for the North Inner City alongside Dan. I did that for a number of reasons. I saw the need for more resources, green spaces, and more solutions that came from the people living in the area.
“It’s a very diverse area with a lot of different communities, a lot of different backgrounds. But, I really do feel like a lot of the issues that we all face are very much the same - housing, childcare, dearth of pitches, waste management.”
Cllr O’Doherty was then nominated to fill Mr Ennis’s vacant seats on the Community, Gaeilge, Sport, Arts & Culture SPC, Docklands Oversight and Consultative Forum, Dublin Central Local Community Safety Partnership . Mr Ennis’s vacant seat on the Fire/Ambulance Services and Emergency Management Committee was filled by his party colleague Cllr Karl Stanley.
Following a vote among Social Democrats members at the Ballybough Community Centre last week, Mr Ennis wished Cllr O’Doherty in her new role serving the North Inner City. He said this is “somewhere I love dearly” and described being elected a councillor as “one of my proudest achievements”.
“In Ellen, the North Inner City is getting a brave, passionate and visionary person. I know she’ll bring the work rate and compassion this role needs, and that our area deserves,” Mr Ennis said in a social media post.
“A dedicated housing activist who knows, cares and understands the needs of our community and will fight for it on housing, childcare, sports facilities and cultural spaces and for anyone that calls this place home.”
Cllr O’Doherty further outlined her goals on social media as she committed to “listening, advocacy and strong representation". “The North Inner City is a very special place with strong communities, rich history and incredible people,” she said.
“The issues of housing, waste management, childcare, sports facilities and cultural spaces still persist. My mission in 2024 was the same as it is now, to represent the people of the North Inner City, their wants, their needs and advocate for them every step of the way.”
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