Constituency: Dublin South-Central

Fianna Fáil’s Catherine Ardagh (33) has been a Dublin City Councillor since 2014. A solicitor by profession, she wants to address issues surrounding housing, social inequality and educational support. Daughter of former Fianna Fáil TD Seán Ardagh, Cllr Ardagh ran unsuccessfully in the 2009 local elections before being elected in 2014.

Neville Bradley is running for Direct Democracy Ireland and is making his second attempt at a general election campaign, having run in 2011. A founding member of the 'Walkinstown Says No to Water Meters' group, he is an active anti-austerity campaigner. He supports his party's call for public led referendums.

Fine Gael’s Catherine Byrne (59) has been a TD from more than nine years. She was elected as a Dublin city councillor in 1999 and after failing to win a Dáil seat in 2002 she secured 11 pc of the first preference votes casted Dublin South–Central in the 2007 general election. She was party deputy spokesperson on Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs with special responsibility for National Drugs Strategy from 2007–2010, and from 2010 to 2011 acted as Fine Gael’s spokesperson on Older Citizens. During her time as a Dublin City Councillor, she served as Lord Mayor for Dublin for a year. Deputy Byrne cites job creation and tackling the country’s mounting homeless crisis as her top priorities.

A Labour veteran, Eric Byrne was elected in 2011 after a 14 year absence from the Dáil. Following four unsuccessfully bids he was first elected as a TD in 1989 for Dublin South–Central as a member of the Workers' Party. A carpenter before entering politics he lost his seat at the 1992 general election. During this time he left the Workers' Party to join the Democratic Left. He was re-elected in a by-election in 1994 but again lost his seat in 1997. Following the Democratic Left’s merge with the Labour Party in 1999, he ran as a candidate unsuccessfully in 2002 and 2007 before finally returning to the Dáil in the 2011 general election. The long-standing politician has served as an international observer in a number of overseas elections, including in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Palestine, and Ukraine. He is an advocate for holding a referendum on repealing the Eighth Amendment.

Independent TD Joan Collins (54) was elected in 2011 on her second general election attempt. Prior to taking her seat in Dáil Éireann, the prominent activist and campaigner was a Dublin City Councillor for many years. Deputy Collins has been involved in many campaigns, including opposing the bin tax, home-owner evictions, and property and water charges. By her own account, she seeks to reverse the Government's austerity policies. She left the Socialist party before joining the People Before Profit Alliance before leaving the party to found the United Left with Clare Daly. However, as of December, the United Left is no longer registered political party.

Liam Coyne (49) is the Social Democrats Candidate for Dublin South Central. A married father-of-three, this is the businessman’s first time running for election. Among his objectives for office, he says that he wants to see economic investment put into towns and villages to help in the creation of meaningful jobs within local communities.

Maire Devine (52) is a Sinn Féin councillor for South Dublin who lists mental health as her number one priority. First co-opted onto South Dublin County Council in 2011 to replace TD Seán Crowe, she topped the polls in Tallaght during the 2014 local elections. A qualified mental health nurse, Cllr Devine wants to see immediate action on social housing and feels more power needs to be given to local communities who, she says, know best which areas and services need support.

Michael Gargan (36) is standing for Renua Ireland in Dublin South-Central. A small business owner with a computer repair shop in Kimmage, Mr Gargan lists crime, increased tax credits for working parents and support for SMEs as his key priorities. He also wants to see more resources invested into increasing the teaching hours for people with special educational needs.

Independent Paul Hand (29) is a Dublin City councillor for the Ballyfermot-Drimnagh ward. Elected on his first attempt during the 2014 local elections, he says that those living in Dublin South Central have been let down by previous Dáil representatives. The 29-year-old says the area has suffered badly due to a lack of housing and that action has to be taken to encourage the building of social and affordable homes. He is also calling for the abolishment of Irish Water and for a national living wage to be introduced.

Ballyfermot native Richard Murray (30) is promising to donate close to half is TD salary to local community groups if elected to Dublin South-Central. This is the first time that the small business owner has run for election. He is campaigning on a platform which includes a commitment to increase the number of social houses being built, the end of water charges, and increased resources for the Gardaí.

Green Party candidate Oisin O’hAlmhain (43) is a hospital pharmacist and his party’s Spokesperson on Health. He wants to see the development of a patient-centred healthcare, increased incentives for those wishing to insulate their homes, and greater public engagement when it comes to planning projects. This will be Mr O’hAlmhain’s third time running for office, having twice unsuccessfully contested elections in 2011 and 2014.

One of two Sinn Féin candidates in the Dublin South Central, Aengus Ó’Snidaigh (51) was first elected to the Dáil in 2002. A fluent Irish speaker, he is the party’s Dáil whip and spokesperson on Social Protection. Deputy Ó’Snidaigh has been a central figure in drafting Sinn Féin’s alternative budgets, and during his time in office has introduced several Dáil motions to reverse cuts to social welfare payments to the elderly, disabled, lone parents and children. He introduced the first Irish Gender Recognition Bill in 2013. In 2012, it was reported that his office had used €50,000 worth of ink cartridges from the Oireachtas between 2007 and 2008.

People Before Profit Alliance candidate Brid Smith (57) is a member of the Unite trade union and has been involved in a number of groups protesting against austerity measures, including the anti-water charges movement. A Dublin City councillor since 2009, and re-elected in 2014, she has contested a number of general and European elections. Alongside pushing for the end of Irish Water and water charges, Cllr Smith also wants to see measures taken to tackle the mounting housing crisis.