New Lord Mayor's 12-month plan to tackle dereliction, rubbish and empower youth

Fianna Fáil Councillor Daryl Barron was officially elected as the 359th Lord Mayor last night and has the ambitions of his mayoral theme of 'Our Dublin'

News Stephen Holland Local Democracy Reporter 13:35, 30 Jun 2026 Updated 14:19, 30 Jun 2026 View 2 Images Lord Mayor of Dublin Daryl Barron accompanied by Peter Hendrick ADC to the Lord Mayor

The newly elected Lord Mayor of Dublin has outlined his key priorities for the next 12 months.

Fianna Fáil Councillor Daryl Barron was officially elected as the 359th Lord Mayor at a Special Council meeting held in City Hall last night. In his inaugural address he outlined his mayoral theme of ‘Our Dublin ’ which is driven by three executive pillars:

Succeeding the outgoing Lord Mayor Ray McAdam, Cllr Barron has represented the Donaghmedge area since 2019 and brings his community sector, finance, and corporate governance experience to the Mansion House.

“A great capital city cannot survive on potential alone; it survives on delivery, which in turn, enables it to thrive. When foundational pillars like security, cleanliness, and housing, fracture, civic trust fractures with them.” he said.

“This year, we restore that trust. By going back to the basics, which underpin our great city, we will put our vibrant communities back on the map.

“The Mansion House will not be a place of passive stewardship; it will be an engine room of executive action. From the street corners to this council chamber, we will clear the litter, build the homes our people deserve, and ensure public security is treated as a basic essential, not a luxury."

The incoming Lord Mayor also referenced the imminent international focus on the city, as Dublin takes centre stage for the upcoming Presidency of the Council of the European Union, pledging to use the platform to drive economic resilience and strengthen local democracy.

He also called on central government to structurally empower the city in Budget 2027 by introducing a localised visitors levy tax to fund public realm infrastructure without overburdening local rate-paying businesses.

Labour Cllr Alison Field was elected to serve as Deputy Lord Mayor at yesterday’s meeting. As a mother of a child with additional needs, she has campaigned for school places for children with Autism and recently travelled with other parents to the European Parliament in Brussels to demand the Irish government meet its legal obligations to address often years-long waiting lists for their assessment of needs.

Upon her election Deputy Lord Mayor Field said being elected is a “huge honour” and said she committed to inclusion, respect and equality for all. She called for a stronger police presence, youth engagement, addressing homelessness, and sports infrastructure for young people.

This content is funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme

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