'I stepped away from the city council to give this some consideration': Former Lord Mayor declares intention to run in next general election

FORMER Lord Mayor Mick Finn has announced he will run for a Dáil seat in the Cork South Central constituency in the next general election.

The former Independent councillor served 15 years on Cork City Council but opted not to contest the recent local elections.

He was successful in his three local election campaigns, topping the poll in 2014 and 2019 when he garnered the highest percentage vote across the city.

Mr Finn, 52, will be hoping that it’s third time lucky in securing a seat in the Dáil having ran for the general election on two previous occasions.

“I received great support as a local councillor, particularly in my year as Lord Mayor (2018/2019) which was just such a special honour: hopefully I can do it justice again as a general election candidate.

“I stepped away from the city council to give this some consideration and time and believe it's possible,” he said.

Working as a youthwork service manager with Cork Education and Training Board (Cork ETB) and having worked with young people and families in a variety of roles for over 20 years, Mr Finn said he believes he has a lot to offer in national government.

“In my role as a city councillor and working in schools and youth services with families and communities, I have a good idea of the everyday issues affecting people regarding access to housing and basic health services, cost of living issues and deficits in our communities including transport and leisure infrastructure: my goal, if elected, would be to deliver on these issues for Cork.

“We are often left behind when it comes to big projects and we need people to stand up for our city and county.” Mr Finn said he is keen to “step up for Cork” on a national level and “work for people on the ground and give them a strong voice in Dublin”.