AAA’s Fiona Ryan to replace Mick Barry on Cork City Council

The Anti-Austerity Alliance has chosen its unsuccessful Cork South Central general election candidate to replace newly elected Cork North Central TD Mick Barry on Cork City Council.

The party is to nominate Fiona Ryan (27), a financial services worker, at Tuesday's council meeting to fill the vacancy caused by Mr Barry's election in last month's general election.

A member of the Socialist Party as well as the Anti-Austerity Alliance, Ms Ryan polled 937 first preferences in the general election

According to a statement issued by the alliance, Ms Ryan lives on Cork’s southside but will be moving to the northside to replace Mr Barry, who represented the Cork North Central ward.

Ms Ryan, who has campaigned to repeal the Eighth Amendment on abortion, said she plans to highlight the issues facing young people when co-opted to the council.

“High rents, precarious jobs and mass emigration are huge issues for people of my age and they need to be brought to the centre of political debate in this city,” said Ms Ryan.

Mr Barry predicted Ms Ryan, a prominent member of the ‘We Won’t Pay’ anti-water charges campaign, would be an excellent councillor.