Bríd Smith Explained

Honorific-Suffix:TD
Office:Teachta Dála
Term Start:February 2016
Constituency:Dublin South-Central
Birth Date:18 September 1961
Birth Place:Rathfarnham, Dublin, Ireland
Nationality:Irish
Party:People Before Profit–Solidarity
Otherparty:People Before Profit

Bríd Smith (born 18 September 1961) is an Irish People Before Profit–Solidarity politician who has been a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Dublin South-Central constituency since the 2016 general election.[1] [2]

Early life and political activism

One of seven children, Smith grew up in Rathfarnham. Her parents were prominent in the Irish Republican movement, and her father was a trade unionist. In the 1980s, Smith worked as a librarian, but was sacked for not passing a picket.[3]

In 2001, she was an ATGWU shop steward and Secretary of the Campaign Against Partnership Deals.[4] She was a spokesperson for the Anti-Bin Tax Campaign.[5] She has addressed large crowds at demonstrations, such as the visit to Dublin by former British Prime Minister Tony Blair[6] and the 2004 protests against the Iraq War.[7] Smith was a long-time campaigner on repealing the 8th amendment to legalise abortion in Ireland, and has described its repeal as one of the highs of her career.[8]

Smith was the first TD to discuss having an abortion, having terminated a pregnancy in the 1980s.[9]

Political career

Smith first contested a general election in 1997, when she ran unsuccessfully for the Socialist Workers Party (SWP), receiving 0.54% of the vote in Dublin South-Central. She ran in Dublin South-Central again for the SWP at the following election in 2002, once again failing to be elected with 1.4% of the vote, before unsuccessfully running for the party in the 2004 local elections, placing fourth in a three seat ward with 11.76% of the vote. In 2007, she ran in Dublin South-Central for a third time, this time for People Before Profit. She received an increased share of 4.39% of the vote but once again was not elected.[10]

She was elected to Dublin City Council as a People Before Profit candidate for the Ballyfermot–Drimnagh local electoral area in 2009, and re-elected in 2014.[11] Smith was director of elections for the People Before Profit at the 2011 general election. She stood as a candidate in the Dublin constituency at the 2014 European Parliament election, but was not elected, receiving 6.8% of the vote. Socialist Party leader Joe Higgins and incumbent MEP Paul Murphy suggested that Smith's candidacy had caused a split in the left vote and cost Murphy his seat.[12]

Smith was elected as TD for Dublin South-Central at the 2016 general election, on her fourth attempt.[13] On 10 March 2016, at the first sitting of the 32nd Dáil, she seconded the nomination of Richard Boyd Barrett for Taoiseach.[14]

At the 2020 general election, Smith was re-elected as a TD for the Dublin South-Central constituency.[15]

In July 2020, Smith was investigated by the Dáil Committee on Procedure for comments she made in the Dáil and online about High Court judge Garrett Simons, which were described by government TD Charles Flanagan as "an attack on democracy itself". The previous month, Smith had said in the Dáil that it was "a day when tens of thousands of workers will wake up to the realisation that a learned judge of the High Court, who earns more than €220,000 per year, has decided in his wisdom that an electrician who may earn €45,000 per year is possibly overpaid, and has then struck down a sectoral employment order that will affect tens of thousands of workers already on low pay. This is a war on workers, and it is time for workers to fight back."[16]

In July 2023, Smith announced she would not contest the next general election. In January 2024 she was selected by People Before Profit to contest the 2024 European Parliament election for the Dublin constituency.[17] [18] Smith received 21,577 (5.7%) first preference votes but was not elected.[19]

Political views

In 2010 Smith criticised health cuts implemented by the government at Cherry Orchard Hospital, and organised a protest against Mary Harney, on behalf of the Save Cherry Orchard Hospital Campaign.[20] [21] [22] In 2009 she opposed the Treaty of Lisbon.[23] In 2015 she opposed the alcohol industry's sponsorship of sporting events.

Smith opposes sanctions on Russia amidst the Russian invasion of Ukraine, saying that they "severely hurt the Russian people" and comparing them to the sanctions levelled against Iraq after the Iraq War.[24]

Smith has expressed support for migrant workers in Ireland, discussing the 50,000 migrant workers in Ireland's health service and 27,000 in construction and asking "where would we be without them?[25] She has called the European response to the migration crisis "shameful".[26]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Bríd Smith. Oireachtas Members Database. 10 February 2019. 12 February 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190212070542/https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/members/member/Br%C3%ADd-Smith.D.2016-10-03/. live.
  2. News: Cullen . Adam . 5 February 2015 . Mixed reaction to new laws on cost of alcohol in bid to curb binge drinking . Independent News & Media . live . 11 February 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150629115549/http://www.herald.ie/news/mixed-reaction-to-new-laws-on-cost-of-alcohol-in-bid-to-curb-binge-drinking-30965749.html . 29 June 2015.
  3. News: Róisín Meets: Bríd Smith 'underwhelmed' by Dáil . 10 July 2023 . The Irish Times . en.
  4. News: Moore . Kevin . 1 July 2001 . 'Red herrings' claim in ATGWU suspension case . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20090317165820/http://www.independent.ie/national-news/red-herrings-claim-in-atgwu-suspension-case-509129.html . 17 March 2009 . 11 February 2015 . Irish Independent.
  5. News: Moloney . Eugene . 1 September 2003 . Bin charges row set to escalate as council pursues 'get tough' policy . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210923194910/https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/bin-charges-row-set-to-escalate-as-council-pursues-get-tough-policy-25930349.html . 23 September 2021 . 11 February 2015 . Irish Independent.
  6. News: Protests and praise for former British prime minister at Dublin book signing . The Sunday Business Post.
  7. News: Bruce . Helen . 20 March 2004 . Thousands prepare to march against Irish role in Iraq war . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210923194901/https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/thousands-prepare-to-march-against-irish-role-in-iraq-war-26013173.html . 23 September 2021 . 11 February 2015 . Irish Independent.
  8. News: People Before Profit TD Bríd Smith to retire from politics at next general election . 10 July 2023 . The Irish Times . en.
  9. Web site: O'Connor . Siobhan . 23 July 2023 . Brid Smith admits she was labelled a 'traitor' during political career . 3 June 2024 . Dublin Live . en.
  10. Web site: ElectionsIreland.org: Brid Smith . 10 July 2023 . electionsireland.org.
  11. News: Marie. O'Halloran. PBP aims to be 'significant' force. The Irish Times. 4 February 2011. 11 February 2015. 23 October 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20121023174954/http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2011/0204/breaking29.html. live.
  12. News: Michelle. Hennessy. Socialists slam Brid Smith for splitting Dublin vote. TheJournal.ie. 26 May 2014. 11 February 2015. 22 August 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140822071551/http://www.thejournal.ie/paul-murphy-brid-smith-1484987-May2014/. live.
  13. Web site: Dublin South-Central. RTÉ. 2016. 1 March 2016. 2 March 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160302043036/http://www.rte.ie/news/election-2016/constituencies/dublin-south-central/. live.
  14. Web site: Cormac. McQuinn. Parties nominate their leaders to be the next Taoiseach. Irish Independent. 10 March 2016. 7 April 2016. 17 April 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160417230606/http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/election-2016/parties-nominate-their-leaders-to-be-the-next-taoiseach-34529069.html. live.
  15. News: Dublin South-Central results: Fine Gael junior minister Catherine Byrne loses seat . 10 February 2020 . Jack . Power . . Dublin . 5 June 2021 . live . https://archive.today/20210605095324/https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/dublin-south-central-results-fine-gael-junior-minister-catherine-byrne-loses-seat-1.4165262 . 5 June 2021 .
  16. News: Bray . Jennifer . Wall . Martin . Dáil committee to investigate Bríd Smith comments about judge . 9 July 2020 . 12 April 2021 . Irish Times . 7 August 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200807101708/https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/d%C3%A1il-committee-to-investigate-br%C3%ADd-smith-comments-about-judge-1.4300563 . live .
  17. News: Matthews . Jane . 24 January 2024 . Bríd Smith among 3 People Before Profit candidates announced for European elections . . 24 January 2024.
  18. Web site: Candidates for European Election. 27 April 2024. Dublin County Returning Officer.
  19. Web site: European Elections: Dublin. . 15 June 2024.
  20. News: Mangan . Stephen . 14 September 2010 . HSE to go ahead with Cherry Orchard plans . The Irish Times . live . 11 February 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20101024060911/http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/health/2010/0914/1224278818472.html . 24 October 2010.
  21. News: Mangan . Stephen . 22 June 2010 . Campaigners oppose cuts at Cherry Orchard hospital . The Irish Times . live . 11 February 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210923194859/https://www.irishtimes.com/news/campaigners-oppose-cuts-at-cherry-orchard-hospital-1.681299 . 23 September 2021.
  22. News: 1 November 2010 . Harney pelted with red paint . Irish Independent . live . 11 February 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20101204095609/http://www.independent.ie/national-news/harney-pelted-with-red-paint-2402516.html . 4 December 2010.
  23. Web site: EU treaty opponents launch campaign in Ireland . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20091012182410/http://www.theparliament.com/no_cache/latestnews/news-article/newsarticle/eu-treaty-opponents-launch-campaign-in-ireland/ . 12 October 2009 . Theparliament.com.
  24. Web site: Quann . Jack . Bríd Smith defends not applauding Volodymyr Zelenskyy: 'It's not a mortal sin' . 3 June 2024 . Newstalk . en.
  25. Web site: 31 May 2024 . Ireland needs migrant workers, says Smith . 3 June 2024 . Dublin People . en-IE.
  26. Web site: Bolton . Michael . 19 May 2024 . Dublin MEP candidate says European response to migration is 'shameful' . 3 June 2024 . BreakingNews.ie . en.

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