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Election Special – elections are live

Dublin City PPN has two vacant seats on the Local Community Development Committee (LCDC). 

One seat is for the Environment Pillar, and one seat is for the Voluntary and Community Pillar.  We have four nominations from the Environmental Pillar and two from the Voluntary and Community pillar.

The nominees for the Environmental Pillar are:

  1. Gobnait Ní Néill:  Drimnagh Community Environmental Group

I’d love to be considered as a PPN representative for the Environmental Pillar. As founder of the Drimnagh Community Environmental Group, I’m passionate about empowering people to take regular, realistic action on a personal level, to affect change for the benefit of their wider communities. Over the last two years, I’ve worked with local social enterprise, schools and Dublin City Council’s Parks and Community Development Departments on a variety of projects, from seed sharing to social inclusion. A background in design and communications has also helped me to develop a strong and hyper local online community, to engage those who are historically removed from community groups due to work, home or other commitments. If elected, I hope to bring the enthusiasm and hopefulness I see in my community to the committee and help drive positive change.

Thank you

2. Claire Wheeler, Dublin Community Environmental Network

Suitability for role:  Was on the LCDC for about 5 years before, contributing on environmental and social justice issues.  Recently retired, I am free to attend the meetings.  As a former elected DCC councillor,  I am very familiar with most civic issues. I am an ordinary member of An Taisce (also the Green Party)  Experience: I have a technical background, with a degree in Engineering Science from TCD and an OU module in Alternative Energy. As a DCC councillor for almost 10 years from 1991, I had some successes with water conservation, wastewater treatment, waste management and other environmental and planning issues.  I have also worked part-time both with Rathmines-Pembroke Partnership and with Energy Action.  Vision and Motivation: I want to make a difference at this critical time, with under 10 years to avoid catastrophic climate breakdown, but also with opportunities to make our way of life sustainable. Dublin needs, not only a pleasant environment to live in, but also to become carbon-neutral. Supporting Sustainable Community energy initiatives, I want Dublin’s building stock retrofitted, while aware of the challenges posed by older buildings. I would also like to progress sustainable energy, flood resilience, active transport and improved public transport, and biodiversity

3. Ernie Beggs:  Dublin Community Environmental Network

About myself;I am living in Finglas.  Education wise, my primary degree is in Marketing.I also have a Masters in Business Studies and a second Masters in Journalism & Communications.  I am a Secretariat on the Environmental Pillar of the PPN since April 2021.  I am one of the co-originators of The Finglas Maypole Festival ( an eco-friendly social inclusion multidisciplinary celebration of creative talent in Finglas and surrounding areas).  I am on the boards of a few other socially inclusive community groups.  My vision is to establish an environmental social  enterprise with an emphasis on rewilding decommissioned landfills that are unsuitable for housing projects.  I would also like to establish pocket gardens in communities and scaled up projects using the Mayawaki method,which will  not impinge on any housing projects;rather these environmental projects enhance.  I am also a Peace Commissioner since 1999

4. Greg Ayinla-Thomas, Dublin Community Environmental Network

I will like the Role of the LCDC, owing to my love for humanity with the quest for breaking new frontier. Consequently, it will be a great honor, owing to the conglomerate of the wonderful people fuse with my African experience will surely take the Community to the next level of global best practices. Furthermore, our diverse cultural endowment is another potential to building a stronger and virile Community. With all the various opinions at the CoP 26 program, it is of note that if given the opportunity cum Role, together we shall religiously bring back a green & eco-friendly environment.

The nominees from the Voluntary and Community Pillar are:

  1. Lee Dillon – Ranelagh Gaels GAA 

Lee Dillon has worked in a voluntary capacity as a member of our club’s management committee since 2016, acting first as our Club Children’s Officer (2016-2019) and currently as chairperson of our club’s Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Committee. Lee works to embed equality and inclusion in our club and wider community. She has been closely involved in the establishment in 2019 of our Gaelic games player group for children with additional needs (the Ranelagh Rockets), and leads our club-wide objective to achieve gender equality by 2023. She has the personal interest, experience, and time to commit to working to ensure the values of equality, diversity and inclusion are represented and heard at, and incorporated into, Local Community Development Committee discussions and decisions

2. John Martin – Chapelizod Residents Association

My name is John Martin I am 72, approximately 50 years of the 72 I have been involved in Community Development, Trade Unions, and the Political Arena as a very involved volunteer and Official of Dublin City Council.  I was employed in Dublin City Council from 1977 to 2005, from 1977 to 1985 in the Engineering Department from 1985 to 2005 in the Housing, Community Development, and Welfare Department in 1989 I was appointed a Officer of Dublin City Council. I was involved in Rents Section, Estate Management, and Tenant Training. I am a life long student currently with Ballyfermot College of Further Education, School of Philosophy and Economic science, previously College of Industrial Relations now a University, from same I hold National Diploma in Industrial Relations Studies and 3 year Diploma in Industrial Relations. Dublin Institute Of Adult Education from same I hold Diploma In Voluntary Community Work and other Diploma and Certification in other Disciplines. I in my Life’s journey have stumble fallen made mistakes learned from them and gained much experience and knowledge of my life goals,over the years I have made many friends and colleagues and worked in many networks which remain opened to me today. I am now asking for your vote, I am aware that there are other candidates notwithstanding the outcome of the vote I am available to the PPN. I invite you to contact me if you so wish my mobile 0831669374 my email .

Information about the voting process*

The primary contact, from each organisation, will be sent one vote.

If you are not the primary contact, for your organisation, you will not be sent a vote.

The primary contact, will be sent a vote from the soft wear, ElectionBuddy on Wednesday 10 November and the voting will be open for one week until Wednesday 17 November.

We can only send the information to the up-to-date email addresses we hold in our database.  If you have not asked us to update our database with any changes to your primary contact details, we have not updated our database.

November 2021

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