The Dublin City Council is set to congregate for the initial time following the local elections next Friday. The occasion will be the appointment of a new lord mayor, with each of the 63 recently elected councillors having a chance to show support for their preferred candidate. They each also have the opportunity to nominate themselves for the esteemed role.
Nonetheless, it can be assumed that the decision will have already been made before anyone even sets foot within City Hall. The politically leading groups in the council typically establish a “mayors and chairs” deal every five years, setting out the yearly role of mayor and chairperson positions for highly favoured committees such as transport and housing.
The previous deal was finalised subsequent to the 2019 local elections, with Fianna Fáil and the Greens pairing together to form a voting pact. This coalition was expanded to include the Labour party and the Social Democrats, this bump up in numbers allowed them to hit the critical limit of 32 councillors which meant they had a council majority.
On this occasion, Fine Gael leads the pack having 11 councillors, with the Social Democrats close behind at 10. Sinn Féin has nine councillors, and Fianna Fáil and the Greens both have eight. Next in line is Labour with four, PBPS has two, and one councillor each for Independent Ireland on the right and Right to Change on the left. The remaining nine councillors are independent.
While there isn’t a requirement for councillors to form a government, it is challenging to organise council activities without some form of agreement or voting pact.
Traditionally, the largest party, in this instance Fine Gael, is required to garner support from others. However, with just a narrow gap in numbers between some parties, they might not necessarily be included in the final agreement.
By late Thursday, every party claimed they were in conversations with all involved ahead of the mayoral vote set for June 21st. As stated by Dermot Lacey of Labour, it’s essential that everyone acts respectfully towards citizens and fellow councillors, and that all opinions have the right to be expressed.
In a recent council election, three newly appointed councillors have come to attention: Independent members Gavin Pepper, Malachy Steenson and Philip Sutcliffe from Independent Ireland. These individuals have been seen at various demonstrations opposing the settlement of immigrants in local accommodation centres. Their presence in the council might instigate an environment of social exclusion, possibly leading to an unwillingness to cooperate amongst other parties.
Another notable name is the left-leaning Right to Change Councillor, Pat Dunne, who triumphed in Kimmage-Rathmines following Sutcliffe’s removal. Sutcliffe, from a party promoting stringent immigration regulations, secured a seat in Ballyfermot-Drimnagh. He participated in two constituencies.
Interestingly, despite their differing political ideologies, Dunne received two-thirds of the votes transferred from Sutcliffe which has yet to result in cordial relations between them. Dunne expressed his unwillingness to interact with the recently elected councillors in any way. He emphasised his stance by asserting that Pepper, Steenson and Sutcliffe would not be entertained in an independent group from his perspective. His sentiment was echoed by several other independent councillors, including Mannix Flynn.
They warned that the trio might find themselves in a situation of solitude and possibly, violation of rules if they are not cautious. Flynn stated that council settings greatly contrast with the environment of activism.
Dunne asserted that the votes he received from Sutcliffe were predominantly “community votes.” He attributed his success to his position as the head coach of the Crumlin Boxing Club, which won him favour in the community. Sutcliffe’s political views remain somewhat uncertain due to a lack of clarity in his campaign literature.
Supported by mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor, Sutcliffe, who entered into candidacy only seven weeks before the election, described himself as a novice in the political landscape. His stance was clear though – he stands opposed to all unlawful entries into the country, regardless of the individuals’ race or ethnicity.
The following perspective was shared by an unnamed individual: “My interactions with those legally residing here is without issue. This extends to the black community who I interact with on a daily basis.”
Labour council member, Dermot Lacey, is yet to form an opinion on the new councillors joining the ranks. He believes strongly in all 63 councillors’ right to hold their office and voice their opinions. However, he emphasises the necessity of maintaining decorum and respect towards peers and citizens. He added that if any councillor displays behaviour that exceeds acceptable limits, it is within the rights of the other members to dissociate from such instances. He further differentiated between robust discussions and abusive rhetoric underlining that local government is far more practical than national politics.
Lacey stated that even if councillors like Steenson, Pepper and Sutcliffe find themselves distanced within the council, they will remain members of the pertinent committees and will be obligated to sit on at least one policy committee. This committee is responsible for dictating the council’s strategies in regards to housing, transportation and environmental matters.
Hazel Chu, a councillor of the Green Party who has been both followed and filmed by Pepper, expressed apprehensions regarding the functioning of the committees. She stressed on the need for collective work, even with individuals whose policies she does not agree with. Chu stated that she chooses to disregard discriminatory remarks, and anything that breaches ethical bounds will not be tolerated on her part. She plans on being collaborative with the management and fellow colleagues.
Sinn Féin council member, Daithí Doolan has not shied away from the clear stand his party has taken against councillors affiliated with protests outside emergency provision centres. Doolan is hopeful about forming a cooperative alliance focused on matters such as housing, transportation and environmental issues. Reflecting on the past five years, he mentions the party’s successful collaboration with some other parties.
The statement of collaboration amongst the Greens, Social Democrats and Sinn Féin shows their hopes for a stronger and more official relationship. Talks are ongoing between the Social Democrats, Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil with various parties and individuals, except for Pepper, Steenson and Sutcliffe, to explore potential alliances. Currently, Pepper has chosen to refrain from any public comments. Attempts at communicating with Malachy Steenson have not yielded any success.