Former Lord Mayor of Dublin Hazel Chu has announced that she will be contesting the upcoming Seanad bye election.
Chu is the former chair of the Green Party.
She made the announcement at a press conference outside the Dáil this morning.
In a press statement, Chu said that if elected, she would tackle women’s rights, discrimination and a green economic recovery.
“As Lord Mayor of Dublin, I oversaw our capital city during the worst crisis of our lifetime”, she said. “I worked to ensure support was in place for the most vulnerable, the marginalised, for older people and for us all. I have fought for diversity, inclusion and I have worked tirelessly to truly deliver on a better quality of life, cleaner air and greener transport for Dublin.”
“I’m honoured that ten of the brightest minds from Trinity want me to represent the future of Ireland.”
Green Party TDs Roderic O’Gorman and Francis Noel Duffy nominated Chu to run. Among her nominators are Oscar-nominated filmmaker Lenny Abrahamson and Rory O’Neill, aka Panti Bliss, the owner of Pantibar.
Chu said: “We have so many challenges ahead. Industries that have provided livelihoods for years in Ireland are now struggling and need to be supported to adapt and thrive. And, of course, the global climate and biodiversity crisis is very much evident all around us in Ireland. I want to work to protect our beautiful island and ensure we can deliver it to our next generation.”
“My launch today coincides with Countess Markievicz’s birthday and 100 years on from her becoming the first female cabinet minister in Europe I want to follow in her footsteps and get more women in the Oireachtas so that our democracy reflects the face of our society”.
Chu said she would also advocate for reform in third level, including requirements that PhD students and postdoctoral workers be paid a living wage. She will also work for the provision of free contraception and sanitary products for all women in Ireland, as well as banning the advertisement of infant formula.
She will also support the repeal of the 27th amendment, which was introduced in 2004 and took away the automatic right to citizenship of people born in Ireland.
Chu was first elected to Dublin City Council in May 2019, and was elected Lord Mayor of Dublin in July 2020.
She previously contested the Seanad by-election on the Industrial and Commercial panel in April 2021, against the wishes of Green Party Leader Éamon Ryan but with the support of Deputy Leader Catherine Martin.
The Green Party executive chose not to select a candidate for the bye election, but Chu has been permitted to contest the seat by the party leadership.
Chu brings the list of confirmed candidates to a dozen.
Yesterday, former Green Party Dáil candidate Paula Roseingrave confirmed she would contest the election. Former Green Councillor and academic Sadhbh O’Neill is also running.
