Fine Gael will now run two candidates in the former constituency of Garret FitzGerald.
After Ms O’Connell’s declaration that she would run as an Independent after turning down Fine Gael, the party issued a statement on Sunday insisting she had not been asked to run for the party.
In a statement, Fine Gael said Ms O’Connell was told last week that she would not be added to the party’s ticket in Dublin Bay South.
Ms O’Connell said she had rejected an offer to run for Fine Gael in the constituency where she lost her seat in 2020.
However, a Fine Gael spokesperson said: “Yesterday, the Fine Gael Executive Council approved the addition of Cllr Emma Blain to run with Cllr James Geoghegan in Dublin Bay South where we will be aiming to win two seats.”
“Kate O’Connell was not asked to run for Fine Gael in the forthcoming General Election.
“Fine Gael HQ was in discussions with her- along with others – about a potential addition.”
“Fine Gael HQ informed Ms O’Connell earlier last week that we would not be considering her further for addition in Dublin Bay South,” he added.
In response, on Sunday Ms O’Connell said she had decided to run as an Independent before Fine Gael told her she would not be on the ticket.
In a new statement, Ms O’Connell said: “Discussions around my being an FG candidate in DBS were ongoing for some weeks between members of FG HQ and myself.
“During the past two weeks, whilst negotiations were still on going and I was being asked to ‘tog out’ for FG, my team and I decided that the best option to contest this election was to run as an independent candidate.
“The decision to run as an Independent candidate was made in advance of my being informed by HQ on Saturday evening that an alternative candidate was being added to the ticket in DBS.”
This was “evidenced by campaign materials prepared in advance”, she added.
Mr Geoghegan, who is the current Lord Mayor of Dublin, is now joined on the ticket by his council colleague Ms Blain after she was selected following a meeting of the Fine Gael executive council yesterday.
In a statement, Ms Blain said she was “delighted” to be asked by Taoiseach Simon Harris to contest the next election as a candidate for Dublin Bay South.
She was first elected as a councillor in 2016 and has also been an Irish delegate at a European level.
A mother of two young children who previously worked as a journalist with the Sunday Independent, Ms Blain said her priorities include the rising cost of childcare, access to housing, transport, local business and women’s health.
“I grew up in Rathmines, in the heart of the constituency and while I have seen many positive transformations in our community, I am acutely aware of the challenges that still remain,” she said.
Kate O’Connell on running as an independent in the next election
Ms Blain, an editor of The Church of Ireland Gazette who says she has memories of canvassing as a five year-old for Garret FitzGerald, will now be competing for a seat alongside the high-profile former Fine Gael TD Kate O’Connell.
Mr Geoghegan, a barrister, came second in the byelection triggered by the resignation of former housing minister and Fine Gael TD Eoghan Murphy from politics, an election that was won by former senator Ivana Bacik, who later became leader of the Labour Party.
“I am delighted to be asked by An Taoiseach, Simon Harris to contest the next general election as a candidate for Dublin Bay South,” Ms Blain said.
“As an experienced representative for Dublin Bay South, with over eight years at local government level and as an Irish Delegate at European level, on the Committee of the Regions, I am committed to advancing policies that will bring about meaningful change for everyone in Dublin Bay South.
“I grew up in Rathmines, in the heart of the constituency and while I have seen many positive transformations in our community, I am acutely aware of the challenges that still remain.
“If elected, I will be the voice that addresses the rising cost of childcare, ensures access to housing for those who need it most, brings about improvements to public spaces to promote better family life, encourages active transportation across our city, supports our local SMEs and continues to promote women’s healthcare.
“As a mother of two young children navigating the complexities of multi-generational care, I know there are many people in the constituency facing similar challenges. I fully understand the dedication it takes to pursue a career, raise a young family and care for aging parents.
“Raising a young daughter, I am acutely aware of why equal representation matters at national level. Meaningful change on issues such as: women’s health, pay parity, access to education and childcare can only happen with meaningful representation.
“The people of Dublin Bay South deserve to have a representative that understands the issues that affect them most. I am confident that I am that representative and if elected, I will be honoured to serve all the people of Dublin Bay South and work to bring about that meaningful change.”
Ms O’Connell’s declaration may complicate party efforts in the constituency which was once a Fine Gael stronghold, but no longer has a Fine Gael TD.
Speaking to the Sunday Independent, she said it was not her wish to be a “sweeper” in the upcoming election and despite having had “decent, robust and fair” discussions with the party headquarters, Ms O’Connell will run as an independent.
“For me, looking at it, two Fine Gael seats is a big ask in the next general election, regardless of who the leader is, coming from a base of no seat,” she said.
Ms O’Connell was first elected to Dáil in 2016 but lost her seat in the general election of 2020, now pointing to the “wastage” of public money as among her reasons for a solo run in the next election.
The four-seat constituency is currently represented in the Dáil by former Green Party leader Eamon Ryan, Fianna Fáil TD Jim O’Callaghan, Sinn Féin’s Chris Andrews and Labour leader Ivana Bacik, who won a by-election in 2021.
