Born and raised in Drogheda, Joanna Byrne has been on Louth County Council since 2016, retaining her seat for Sinn Féin in 2019 and again in 2024.

Posting on her Facebook page when she announced her intention to run for a seat in the Dáil, Byrne promised she would be a voice on a national scale for her community, after the Government had “turned a blind eye to this region over many decades when it comes to investment and services,” she claimed.

Issues at the top of her agenda included city status for Drogheda and “a proper local government, accountable to the people”.

In her time as a councillor, Ms Byrne worked on issues including illegal dumping, road safety, housing transfers, vacant properties, and celebrating the LGBTQ+ community.

She was recently elected onto the FAI’s National League Committee. On her candidate profile on Sinn Féin’s website, she describes herself as a “strong voice on housing” and an advocate for people struggling with addiction.