Karin Dubsky among Green Party candidates for by-elections

The well-known environmentalist Karin Dubsky will be the Green Party candidate in the forthcoming by-election in Wexford constituency expected in late November – the seat was made vacant following the election of Mick Wallace as an Independent member of the European Parliament.

Ms Dusky is a marine ecologist, who has been based in Trinity College and has directed the environmental organisation Coastwatch Europe, which she founded 32 years ago. It monitors Irish coastlines for waste and threats to marine ecosystems with the help of citizen scientists. She lives in Ballymoney, Co Wexford.

Up to now, she was not a member of the Green Party but was invited last week to stand and was ratified in recent days. “I have never been in a party but will use the platform to shout for biodiversity and the marine, and coax others to take it seriously . . . it’s a critical time,” she said.

Cllr Joe O'Brien will contest the Dublin Fingal constituency for a seat made vacant by Independent socialist Clare Daly who was also elected an MEP. He is a long-time advocate for homeless and immigrant rights and is a sitting county councillor for the Balbriggan local electoral area.

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Cllr Peter Kavanagh will contest the Dublin Mid-West constituency for a seat previously held by former Tánaiste Frances Fitzgerald (Fine Gael), who also won a seat in the European elections in Dublin. A well-known language rights and community activist from Clondalkin, he is a sitting councillor for the Clondalkin local electoral area.

Cllr Oliver Moran will contest the Cork North Central constituency for the party following the election of Billy Kelleher, a Fianna Fáil TD for 22 years, to the European Parliament last May.