Neasa Hourigan

Neasa Hourigan is an Irish Green Party politician who has been a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Dublin Central constituency since the 2020 general election. She was appointed Chair of the Committee on Budgetary Oversight in September 2020.[1]

Neasa Hourigan

TD
Hourigan in 2020
Chair of the Committee on Budgetary Oversight
Assumed office
15 September 2020
Preceded byColm Brophy
Teachta Dála
Assumed office
February 2020
ConstituencyDublin Central
Personal details
BornLimerick, Ireland
NationalityIrish
Political partyGreen Party
Spouse(s)Colin Toomey (m. 2005)
Children3
Alma mater
Websiteneasahourigan.com

Early life

Hourigan was born in Limerick. Her father Michael Hourigan is a former Fine Gael member of Limerick City Council as well as a former Mayor of Limerick.[2] Neasa was educated at Laurel Hill Coláiste FCJ. She graduated with a Bachelor of Architecture from Technological University Dublin, a Master of Architecture from University College Dublin, a Post Graduate Certificate in Higher Education and has lectured in sustainable communities, environmental design and green procurement at both Queen's University Belfast[3] and Technological University Dublin.

Political career

Hourigan joined the Green Party in 2011.[4][5] She was elected to represent Cabra-Glasnevin local electoral area on Dublin City Council following the 2019 local elections.[6] She is the Green Party's Spokesperson for Finance and Health.[7] Darcy Lonergan was co-opted to Hourigan's seat on Dublin City Council following her election to the Dáil in 2020.

Hourigan helped to establish the Irish Pedestrian Network born out of Dublin Blockers, a social media campaign she started in 2018 highlighting the issues pedestrians in Central Dublin were facing.[8] Within this network, she organised an activist group, Streets are for People.[9]

On 22 July 2020, Hourigan was amongst several prominent members of the Green party who formed the "Just Transition Greens", an affiliate group within the party with a Green left/Eco-socialist outlook, who have the objective of pressuring the party towards more hardline policies based on the concept of a Just Transition.[10][11][12]

On 30 July 2020, Hourigan resigned as party whip of the Green Party, but did not leave the party after voting against the Government twice on amendments to the Residential Tenancies Bill.[13][14] She was later sanctioned by party leader Eamon Ryan by having her speaking rights withdrawn for two months.[15]

Personal life

Hourigan lives in Cabra, Dublin. She has three children, one of whom is hard of hearing and is registered as blind.[3]

References
  1. "Neasa Hourigan". Oireachtas Members Database. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
  2. Rabbitts, Nick (12 December 2018). "Daughter of former Limerick mayor to seek election with the Green Party". Limerick Leader. Retrieved 10 February 2020.
  3. "About". neasahourigan.com. Retrieved 10 February 2020.
  4. Ryan, Órla (22 December 2020). "Hourigan says being in the Greens is 'hostile' and 'lots of people would be relieved' if she left". TheJournal.ie. Retrieved 22 December 2020. Neasa Hourigan has been a member of the Green Party for almost a decade but was only elected to represent the Cabra-Glasnevin area on Dublin City Council in 2019.
  5. "YOUNG BLOOD: NEASA HOURIGAN". The Phoenix. 23 April 2020. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
  6. "The Green Wave: a new breed of eco-councillors". 26 May 2019. Retrieved 10 February 2020.
  7. "The Green Party promises free student travel, public housing and a Universal Basic Income". thejournal.ie. 25 January 2020. Retrieved 11 February 2020.
  8. McGuire, Erin (13 February 2019). "A New Pedestrian Advocacy Network Seeks Others to Get Involved". Dublin Enquirer. Retrieved 11 February 2020.
  9. Ginty, Cian (31 August 2019). "'Streets Are For People' staging second day of action at Lower Liffey Street". Irish Cycle. Retrieved 11 February 2020.
  10. McGibbon, Adam (3 August 2020). "Just Transiti ON". Village. Retrieved 4 October 2020.
  11. Rafferty, Michael (6 August 2020). "Just Transition are Left insurgents in the Green Party aiming higher than 'internal opposition'". Village. Retrieved 4 October 2020.
  12. "Cllr Lorna Bogue on the Just Transition Greens". 3 August 2020. Retrieved 4 October 2020.
  13. Hurley, Sandra (30 July 2020). "Green TD Neasa Hourigan resigns as party whip". RTÉ News and Current Affairs. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
  14. Finn, Christina (30 July 2020). "Green Party TD Neasa Hourigan resigns as party whip after voting against government rental Bill". TheJournal.ie. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
  15. "Green Party sanctions O'Brien, Hourigan over Dáil vote". RTÉ News and Current Affairs. 31 July 2020. Retrieved 31 July 2020.


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