Senator Lynn Boylan is increasingly likely to be named as Sinn Féin’s candidate in the upcoming Dublin Bay South byelection after she won the support of a key local branch of the party.
The constituency’s sitting Sinn Féin TD Chris Andrews announced on social media that Ms Boylan has received a nomination from the party’s Inner City Cumann.
He wrote on Twitter: “Having worked with Lynn for many years it is an exciting time ahead”.
Ms Boylan replied: “Thanks a million to the cumann and members for the support.”
Thanks a million to the cumman and members for the support ✊🏼 https://t.co/8qoaqGpj2m
— Lynn Boylan 🍷📖🐾 (@LNBDublin) June 1, 2021
Party members who wish to put their names forward as a possible candidate must do so by Wednesday ahead of a convention on Friday that will officially unveil who will run.
Ms Boylan told The Irish Times that she was delighted to have been nominated to be a candidate by Cllr Daniel Keating and seconded by Mr Andrews.
“If selected I am more than ready to show the people of Dublin Bay South there is a real alternative to the Government parties and that alternative is Sinn Féin.”
Another Sinn Féin Senator Fintan Warfield has been mentioned as a potential candidate in the constituency but he has not publicly made his intentions known.
With Fine Gael candidate Cllr James Geoghegan, Fianna Fáil’s Cllr Deirdre Conroy and Labour Party senator Ivana Bacik already selected and campaigning, Ms Boylan denied Sinn Féin is late entering the field.
The Green Party is set to choose between Lord Mayor of Dublin Hazel Chu and Cllr Claire Byrne when it selects its candidate on Friday, while Sarah Durcan, the Social Democrats’ candidate in the constituency in last year’s general election, is believed to be considering running.
The byelection came about after the resignation of former Fine Gael minister Eoghan Murphy from politics.
Tánaiste Leo Varadkar has previously signalled that Fine Gael would prefer to have the byelection in July.
