I was first elected as a public representative in 2004 to Fingal County Council at age of 26. Representing the former Malahide Electoral Ward, I was approached by former Malahide Fine Gael TD and Minister, Nora Owen to stand for the party just a few weeks before the election.
During this term I held a number of notable positions within the Council including Deputy Mayor in 2005; Mayor of Fingal in 2007/2008 as well as Chairmanship and membership of a number of Council committees including; Fingal County Enterprise Board; Fingal Development Board; Council Corporate Policy Group and the Council Organisational & Procedural Committee to name but some.
I was also a director of the Drinan Enterprise Centre Limited which in 2010, attracted over 90 jobs to the Swords area.
I was successfully re-elected to the Council in the newly formed Howth/Malahide electoral area in the summer of 2009, tripling my first preference vote whilst also topping the poll in Malahide. A testament to my hard work as a Councillor, I topped the Malahide poll again in February 2011 attaining just over 40% of the first preference vote.
Having been elected to Dáil Éireann on my first attempt in 2011, the then Taoiseach, Enda Kenny TD appointed me to serve on the following Dail Committees:
Justice, Equality & Defence
Finance, Public Expenditure & Reform
Public Service Oversight & Petitions (to October 2011)
Additionally, I served on the internal committee on Environment, Community & Local Government as well as European Affairs from March 2011.
Finally, I was appointed to Chair the Internal Committee on Public Expenditure & Reform in March 2011 & the Chair of the Internal Committee on Justice, Defence & Equality in April 2013. These roles all expired on the dissolution of the 31st Dail in February 2016.
In late 2013, I was appointed by An Taoiseach as Head of Delegation to the OSCE (Organisation for Security & Co-Operation in Europe), a pan European organisation whose objectives are the furtherance of peace, arms control, human rights, border integrity and the observation of free and fair elections. A role I have retained in the 32nd Dail.
I was re-elected to Dail Eireann in February 2016 having finished 3rd of 15 candidates across the North County.
I was appointed to the following Committees:
Justice & Equality (up to June 2017)
Public Accounts
Future Funding of Domestic Water Services (Report issued April 12th 2017/Committee dissolved.)
In June 2017, I was nominated by An Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar TD as Chairman of the Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs. I retained my position on the Public Accounts Committee but relinquished my six year role with the Justice & Equality Committee.
Raised on the Coast Road, Malahide I owned and operated my own estate agency from 2004 having worked in accounts prior my move into public service. I live in Malahide village with my wife and two small boys.
I am very proud to have organised a charitable annual Goal Mile event in Malahide Castle each Christmas Day since 2007 having cumulatively raised €35,000 for the humanitarian charity in that time.
Despite our economic difficulties, I am committed to providing a strong voice for the people of Dublin Fingal and continue to work hard in order to make an impact at both a local and national level.
You can contact me via the contact page above.