Dublin Bay South byelection: 15 candidates confirmed for July 8th polling day

Dublin Bay South voters will have 15 candidates to choose from in the byelection to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of former Fine Gael TD Eoghan Murphy.

The Dublin City Returning Office confirmed that 15 candidates including 10 political party contestants and five independents will be on the ballot paper after the noon cutoff point today for withdrawals.

Candidates are given a 24-hour cool-ingoff period to withdraw from the contest, after the deadline on Thursday to register.

The byelection takes place on Thursday, July 8th, and will run for an extended period of 15-and-a-half hours from 7am to 10.30pm.

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Counting of votes at the RDS will commence at 9am on Friday, July 9th.

The easing of Covid restrictions mean the byelection will be run on one day rather than over two as had previously been considered a possibility, which would have required legislative changes.

However, voters will be asked to bring their own pen or pencil to mark the ballot paper, although pencils will be provided if necessary.

Standard public health measures will apply, including the wearing of masks and the two- metre social distancing.

Perspex screens will be in place at every polling officer’s station, and sanitisers will be available at every polling station.

Canvassing has intensified in the constituency, which stretches from Rathmines to Terenure including parts of Harold’s Cross and Rathfarnham as well as Ballsbridge, Donnybrook, Sandymount, Ranelagh, Ringsend and the south inner city area.

Canvassers have reported housing as the predominant issue on the doorstep along with the provision and location of cycle lanes and BusConnect routes. Health services and the impact of Covid-19 are also being raised.

The candidates are:

Senator Ivana Bacik (Lab)

Justin Barrett (National Party)

Senator Lynn Boylan (SF)

Cllr Claire Byrne (GP)

Dolores Cahill (Ind)

Cllr Deirdre Conroy (FF)

Peter Dooley (Ind)

Sarah Durcan (SD)

Cllr Mannix Flynn (Ind)

Cllr James Geoghegan (FG)

Jacqui Gilbourne (Renua)

John Keigher (Ind)

Colm O’Keeffe (Ind)

Brigid Purcell (PBP)

Mairéad Tóibín (Aontú)