Neasa Hourigan | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Hourigan in 2022 | |
| Teachta Dála | |
| In office February 2020 – November 2024 | |
| Constituency | Dublin Central |
| Chair of theCommittee on Budgetary Oversight | |
| In office 15 September 2020 – 22 March 2023 | |
| Preceded by | Colm Brophy |
| Personal details | |
| Born | October 1980 (age 45)[1] Limerick, Ireland |
| Political party | Green Party |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 3 |
| Alma mater | |
| Website | neasahourigan |
Neasa Hourigan (born October 1980) is an IrishGreen Party politician who was aTeachta Dála (TD) for theDublin Central constituency from 2020 until 2024. She was Chair of theCommittee on Budgetary Oversight from September 2020 until being suspended from the parliamentary party in March 2023.[2]
Hourigan was born inLimerick. Her father Michael Hourigan is a formerFine Gael member ofLimerick City Council as well as a formerMayor of Limerick.[3] Neasa is also a distant cousin to former SenatorRichard Hourigan and MEPPaddy Lane.[4] Neasa was educated atLaurel Hill Coláiste FCJ. She graduated with aBachelor of Architecture fromTechnological University Dublin, aMaster of Architecture fromUniversity College Dublin, a Post Graduate Certificate in Higher Education and has lectured in sustainable communities, environmental design and green procurement at bothQueen's University Belfast[5] and Technological University Dublin.
Hourigan joined the Green Party in 2011.[6][7] She was elected to representCabra-Glasnevin local electoral area onDublin City Council at the2019 local elections.[8][9] She is the Green Party's Spokesperson for Finance and Health.[10]
Hourigan helped to establish the Irish Pedestrian Network born out of Dublin Blockers, a social media campaign she started in 2018 highlighting the issues pedestrians in Central Dublin were facing.[11] Within this network, she organised an activist group, Streets are for People.[12]
At the2020 general election, Hourigan was elected as a TD forDublin Central.[13] Darcy Lonergan was then co-opted to Hourigan's seat on Dublin City Council.
On 22 July 2020, Hourigan was amongst several prominent members of the Green Party who formed the "Just Transition Greens", an affiliate group within the party with agreen left/eco-socialist outlook, who have the objective of pressuring the party towards more hardline policies based on the concept of aJust Transition.[14][15][16]
On 30 July 2020, Hourigan resigned asparty whip of theGreen Party, but did not leave the party after voting against theGovernment twice on amendments to the Residential Tenancies Bill.[17][18] She was later sanctioned byparty leaderEamon Ryan by having her speaking rights withdrawn for two months.[19]
In December 2020 Hourigan, alongside fellow Green TDPatrick Costello, spoke out against the entry of Ireland into theComprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), a trade agreement between Canada and members of the EU, due to fears about the proposed "Investment court system". The investment court system is designed to act as a method of solving business disputes between investors and participating countries. Hourigan and Costello argued that the court system would allow Canadians investing in Ireland to sue the state if the state impeded their profits, such as with environmentalist laws, and this was a major threat to Ireland's sovereignty.[20][21][22]
On 17 May 2022 Costello and Hourigan were both suspended from the Green Party for six months after they voted against the government on a motion calling for the newNational Maternity Hospital to be built on land wholly owned by the state.[23] Before the vote, Hourigan explained her rationale by saying she could not support the government's decision to approve plans to move the National Maternity Hospital from Holles Street to the St Vincent's Hospital campus due to concerns over the governance and ethos at the new facility,[24] which is to be built on a site ultimately leased from theCatholic Church, and with fears in some quarters that potential lingering religious influence could mean abortions or fertility treatment would not be allowed to take place at the new hospital.[25] The government coalition parties (Fine Gael,Fianna Fáil and the Greens) had been whipped to abstain on the motion.[25] Costello and Hourigan were re-admitted to the parliamentary party in November 2022.[26]
On 7 March 2023, Hourigan criticised the government for its decision to end the eviction ban, calling the decision "heartless". Hourigan also spoke out against Green Party leader Eamon Ryan, saying that he did not speak to the party's policies. Senator and Green Party ChairPauline O'Reilly rebuked Hourigan's remarks and said that it was "clear Neasa didn't have all the facts".[27] On 22 March 2023 Hourigan was suspended from the Green Parliamentary Party for fifteen months and removed from her committee position for voting against the government on an amendment to aSinn Féin motion calling for the extension of the eviction ban.[28]
On 14 July 2024, Hourigan wasnarrowly defeated by SenatorRóisín Garvey in an election to replaceCatherine Martin asdeputy leader of the Green Party.[29]
At the2024 general election, Hourigan received 1,952first preference votes, the seventh highest in the 4-seaterDublin Central constituency. She was eliminated on the 7th count, and lost her seat.[30]
Hourigan believes the climate and biodiversity crises are urgent issues and has expressed concern over the role of large multinational corporations in driving environmental harm. Hourigan has proposed limiting the size of these corporations and breaking up those that do not operate responsibly, seeing them as significant contributors to pollution, deforestation, and emissions. She also advocates for an international approach in regulating corporate power, drawing parallels with the OECD corporate tax deal. On the issue of government funding, Hourigan is critical of Ireland’s reliance on corporate tax receipts, which she views as an unreliable source of income. While she acknowledges the benefits of corporate tax revenue, she prefers what she views as a more sustainable approach to funding, advocating for asovereign wealth fund that would be focused on zero-carbon investments. She has also called for long-term, multi-annual funding in place of the current annual budget and electoral cycles, believing this would allow for a more consistent and effective response to the climate crisis.[31]
Hourigan supports relocatingDublin Port to create space for housing development and reduce pollution in the city, suggesting that rail integration could help manage port-related traffic.[32]
Hourigan supports the decriminalisation of drug use, including hard drugs and advocates for a harm-reduction approach rather than a punitive one. She believes that treating drug use as a health issue, rather than a criminal one, would be more effective in addressing the underlying problems, and believes there should be an emphasis on reducing the stigma surrounding addiction.[32]
Hourigan supports the decriminalisation of sex work, arguing that consenting adults should be free to make their own choices in private. She emphasises the distinction between sex trafficking and sex work, criticising the confusion of the two in Irish law. Hourigan has stated that while Ireland is one of the worst EU countries for prosecuting sex trafficking, sex workers are still criminalised despite often engaging in consensual work. She believes that when two adults are involved, their human rights and choices should be respected, as long as no harm is being caused to others.[32]
In March 2024 Hourigan called for an immediate ceasefire in theGaza war, asserting that the situation amounts to genocide. She rejects accusations that criticising the actions in Gaza is antisemitic, affirming that Ireland, as a neutral country, has a valid position based on human rights. Hourigan has also expressed opposition to moving away from Ireland’s neutrality, particularly concerning changes to Ireland's triple lock mechanism for military deployment, but has backed increased investment in Ireland’s Defence Forces, particularly for the protection of offshore energy infrastructure.[32]
Hourigan lives inCabra, Dublin. She has three children, one of whom is hard of hearing and is registered as blind.[5]
Her sister Niamh Hourigan was an unsuccessfulLabour Party candidate in the2024 European Parliament elections.[33]
Neasa Hourigan has been a member of the Green Party for almost a decade but was only elected to represent the Cabra-Glasnevin area on Dublin City Council in 2019.