THE SOCIAL DEMOCRATS have selected Dublin City Councillor Gary Gannon to run in European elections for the Dublin constituency. 

Gannon (32) was selected at a convention in Dublin city this evening by party members.

Gannon was first elected as an Independent to the North Inner City area in the 2014 local elections. 

He narrowly missed out on securing a seat in the 2016 general election in the strongly contested Dublin Central constituency, being pipped at the post for the final seat by Maureen O’Sullivan. 

May will be the first time the Social Democrats will contest the European elections. The party was founded in 2015 by sitting TDs Catherine Murphy, Roisin Shortall, and Stephen Donnelly. 

Donnelly has since left the party to join Fianna Fáil, while Shortall and Murphy remain co-leaders. 

“The EU parliament is the most important place politically in the world right now. I am delighted to have been selected tonight to represent the party in this critically important election,” Gannon said in a statement after his selection.

What Dublin needs is a voice that represents the diversity of our city and its people. I know that the Social Democrats can be that voice at the European table.