SINN FÉIN WILL hold its Dublin Central by-election convention tomorrow, with the mother of Harvey Morrison, Gillian Sherratt and Councillor Janice Boylan both seeking the party’s nomination. 

Sherratt became known after long-campaigning to get answers on the timeline of her son’s care and why a decision was made to remove him from a spinal surgery waitlist. 

Harvey had been removed from Children’s Health Ireland’s (CHI’s) urgent scoliosis surgery waiting list, without his family being informed. Harvey eventually had the surgery in December 2024, but he sadly passed away last summer. 

Gillian Sherratt and Stephen Morrison, parents of Harvey Morrison Sherratt, speaking to the media outside Leinster House last year. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

Boylan is a long-standing councillor in the constituency and was selected to run alongside party leader Mary Lou McDonald in the general election in 2024, however, she was unsuccessful in winning a seat. 

A contest for the ballot slot is somewhat unusual in the party and it is believed there is unhappiness from some party members that a candidate has been “parachuted” in to contest the nomination alongside Boylan. 

‘Two formidable women’

Speaking over the weekend about the matter and asked about reports that Sherratt is her favourite to get the nomination, McDonald said the “two formidable women” will present to the party membership on Wednesday and a candidate to contest the by-election will be selected. 

She told RTÉ’s This Week programme that there had been a “very, very lively debate” within the party membership over who should get the nomination. 

McDonald added that she is looking forward to both by-elections, stating that Dublin Central in particular is “extremely competitive”.  

She said her party is the “largest political presence” in the constituency, stating that the team, which includes Boylan, works “incredibly hard”.

McDonald said both women have made their case to the party and will continue to make their case in their presentations on Wednesday. 

Fine Gael open’s nominations

Meanwhile, Fine Gael has opened the nomination process to select the party’s candidate for the upcoming Dublin Central bye-election with a selection convention to take place in the constituency on 23 March.

Party leader An Tánaiste Simon Harris has appointed the Minister of State for International Development and Diaspora Neale Richmond as the Director of Elections for the Dublin Central bye-election.

Speaking as nominations opened, Richmond said Fine Gael is looking forward to contesting the bye-election and is resolved to win the seat held by former Fine Gael TD Paschal Donohoe.

“For over 20 years, Dublin Central was served excellently by Paschal Donohoe as a city councillor, Senator, TD and as a Government Minister.

“Over that period of time, Paschal and Fine Gael repeatedly delivered for the people of Dublin Central,” he said stating that the party will be fight to retain the seat. 

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The Green Party has selected Janet Horner as their candidate, while the Social Democrats has selected Daniel Ennis. 

Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin has been selected as People Before Profit Candidate for Dublin Central by-election. 

Yesterday, Ó Ceannabháin issued an open letter to other parties of the left contesting the by-election proposing a ‘vote left transfer left’ pact. He said a united left can repeat the success of the Catherine Connolly campaign.

Ian Noel Smyth has been selected as Aontú’s candidate for the constituency.

The Labour Party is set to hold its selection convention next week, with Ruth O’Dea and Joanna Siewierska seeking the party’s backing.

In this constituency race, all eyes will be on gangland figure Gerry ‘The Monk’ Hutch and his campaign. Hutch announced earlier this month that he will be contesting the by-election after he narrowly lost out on the fourth and final seat in the general election.