Sinn Féin selects Daniel Loftus for South Dublin council seat after councillor resigns to move to Australia
Sinn Féin representative Daniel Loftus has been selected to fill a vacancy on South Dublin County Council following the resignation of councillor Niamh Fennell, who recently announced plans to emigrate to Australia.
Mr Loftus (28) is expected to be officially co-opted onto the local authority at the next meeting of South Dublin County Council in June.
The vacancy arose after Ms Fennell (26) stepped down from her seat in the Palmerstown–Fonthill electoral area earlier this week, citing the ongoing housing crisis and the difficulty young people face in securing long-term accommodation in Ireland.
In her resignation statement, she said she had made the decision after “months of careful consideration”, adding that she felt she could no longer build a sustainable future in Ireland.
Speaking after his selection, Mr Loftus said he was honoured to receive the backing of local party members.
“It was an honour and a privilege to receive the support of my fellow Cumann members at the selection convention to fill the vacant seat in South Dublin County Council left by Cllr Niamh Fennell,” he said in a social media post.
Daniel Loftus (Left) and Cllr Niamh Fennell
Responding to her decision, Mr Loftus said it reflected the challenges facing many people across the country.
“It is a tragedy that so many of our people feel hopeless in our country and feel that they must leave Ireland for a better life,” he said.
“It is the responsibility of us here to make the country a better place to live, not only for us but for those looking for a reason to come home.”
Mr Loftus, who previously ran in the 2024 local elections and also serves as a Peace Commissioner across the Palmerstown/Fonthill area, said he is looking forward to “being officially co-opted at the next council meeting and working alongside my Sinn Féin colleagues in SDCC to help fight for the country we deserve”.
Meanwhile, Sinn Féin TD Mark Ward paid tribute to Ms Fennell for her work and her time on the council.
“I’d like to thank Niamh for her tireless work on behalf of the people of Palmerstown/Fonthill, and we will all miss her,” Deputy Ward said.
“Daniel will bring a lifelong history of republican activism to his new role and carry on the work that Niamh began.”