Clare Daly has confirmed she will stand in Dublin Central in this year’s General Election. 

The former independent MEP for Dublin lost her seat in June’s European Parliament elections but said “a lot of people” had got in touch with her, urging her to run again. 

After “toing and froing all over the summer with it”, Ms Daly said she had decided to stand in the Dublin Central constituency as an independent. 

It means she will compete in the four-seat constituency with high profile names such as Mary Lou McDonald, Paschal Donohoe and possibly even Gerry Hutch.

“I was contacted by some really outstanding representatives and activists in Dublin Central,” she told South East Radio. 

“They asked me would I consider running there to keep [going] the really strong independent traditions - which the likes of Tony Gregory and Maureen O’Sullivan had represented. 

“After a lot of thought, I said, ‘Why not?’” 

Why I am standing in Dublin Central

After 25 years as a public representative in North Dublin, at local, national, and European level, I thought long and hard about whether to contest the next General Election. Many people, from all over the country, expressed the hope that… pic.twitter.com/nQKcOwi5Xj

— Clare Daly (@ClareDalyIRL) October 24, 2024

Ms Daly said she was particularly concerned about the lack of scrutiny of Government policy and said the media’s focus in recent weeks has been “shocking”. 

“We’re a couple of weeks away from a General Election and all the media have been focusing on is when that election might be and attacks on internal matters within Sinn Féin,” she said. 

“Where’s the scrutiny of Government policy that has such a devastating impact on so many people in terms of housing, homelessness and cost of living crisis?

“The inadequate measures on climate change and all the rest of it, we’ve had no scrutiny of this.” 

34th Dáil

Ms Daly predicted “exciting times” in the General Election but declined to say if her former MEP colleague Mick Wallace would also stand. 

“He’s an independent thinker also and he’ll decide for himself,” she said. 

“But the truth is, Mick hasn’t decided.” 

Mick Wallace and Clare Daly. Image: PA Images / Alamy

Prior to her election to the European Parliament in 2019, Ms Daly served as an independent TD in Dublin Fingal. 

During her time in Brussels, she established herself as a vocal opponent of Israel’s actions in Gaza. 

She also attracted media attention after opposing EU sanctions on Russia after its invasion of Ukraine. 

Ms Daly said Brussels’ response to the conflict “makes me sick to be honest with you” and Fine Gael Senator Barry Ward urged her to resign for 'propagating a false narrative' about Ukraine.  

Main image: Clare Daly. Picture by: Eleventh Hour Photography / Alamy