THE WRITS FOR the Dublin Central and Galway West by-elections have been moved in the Dáil, with voting to take place on 22 May. 

Senior sources previously confirmed to The Journal that that date had been earmarked for polling day.

It means the Dáil will have two new TDs before the summer recess.

In the Dáil this evening, Fine Gael’s Emer Currie moved the Dublin Central writ, while People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd Barrett moved the Galway West one. 

“Get the posters up,” he said as he did. 

Election posters have already begun to appear in Dublin this evening.

Minister for Housing and James Browne will officially sign the election day order tomorrow morning which will confirm 22 May as polling day.

The seat in Galway West has to be filled due to Catherine Connolly’s election as president in November, while the seat in Dublin Central is vacant after Fine Gael’s Paschal Donohoe departed Irish politics for a job at the World Bank last year.

The ten candidates who have declared in the Dublin Central by-election so far are:

• Janice Boylan (Sinn Féin)
• Daniel Ennis (Social Democrats)
• Janet Horner (Green Party)
• Gerry ‘The Monk’ Hutch (Independent)
• Ray McAdam (Fine Gael)
• Ruth O’Dea (Labour)
• Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin (People Before Profit)
• Ian Noel Smyth (Aontú)
• Malachy Steenson (Independent)
• John Stephens (Fianna Fáil)

In Galway West, 12 candidates have formally put themselves forward so far. They are:

• Mike Cubbard (Independent)
• Sheila Garrity (Independent)
• Cillian Keane (Fianna Fáil)
• Seán Kyne (Fine Gael)
• Mark Lohan (Sinn Féin)
• Niall Murphy (Green Party)
• Míde Nic Fhionnlaoich (Social Democrats)
• Orla Nugent (Aontú)
• Helen Ogbu (Labour)
• Denman Rooke (People Before Profit)
• Noel Thomas (Independent Ireland)
• Thomas Welby (Independent)