Profile: Seán Haughey (FF)

It may have been a surprise to many but not to locals that the former Dublin North-Central constituency has forgiven Fianna Fáil and Seán Haughey (54) for the economy's collapse and re-elected him in the new Dublin Bay North constituency. It has been a troublesome constituency for party leader Micheál Martin who wanted the former minister of state on the party ticket. But the selection convention made a clear choice in selecting Deirdre Heney and not the son of the late former taoiseach Charlie Haughey. After much internal and heated debate, however, he was added to the ticket by party headquarters, despite the gender quota and the protests of Heney. Often voted for both because of and despite his controversial father, the Kinsealy man began rebuilding his constituency in the last two years, doing well in the 2014 local elections which has helped raise his profile again. He is married to Orla O'Brien and they have four children. He was educated at St Paul's College, Raheny, and Trinity College where he graduated with a degree in economics and politics.