| Honorific-Suffix: | TD |
| Office: | Teachta Dála |
| Term Start: | November 2024 |
| Birth Date: | 1987 10, df=y |
| Birth Place: | Limerick, Ireland |
| Party: | Social Democrats |
Eoin Hayes (born 15 October 1987) is an Irish Social Democrats politician who has been a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Dublin Bay South constituency since the 2024 general election. Hayes previously served as a Dublin City Councillor from June 2024 onwards.[1]
Hayes is a small business owner,[2] "lifelong" renter,[3] and has been a political campaigner since 2009.[4]
Hayes was born in Limerick, Ireland. At age 6 he moved to Williamsport, Pennsylvania with his family.[5] They returned to Limerick when Hayes was 14, and he completed his Leaving Certificate at Castletroy College.
Hayes studied chemical engineering at University College Cork, after which he completed an MSc in Management at London Business School of the University of London.
Hayes was an intern at Google in 2011[6] and started a management consulting career in New York City with a boutique firm, the Alexander Group, in 2013.[5]
Upon returning to Dublin in 2017, Hayes founded his own consulting firm, Cantillon Labs, which he has led since.[2] [5]
Hayes was elected as president of the Students' Union at University College Cork in 2009.[7] He was active in protesting the re-introduction of student fees by the government of Fianna Fáil and the Green Party.[8] He was also active in opposing additional fees on students, including printing fees and graduation fees.[4] [9]
In 2012, Hayes campaigned for and was employed by the Barack Obama’s re-election campaign as a data manager for voter protection at the headquarters in Chicago.[10] [7]
At the 2024 Dublin City Council election, Hayes was elected to Dublin City Council for the local electoral area of Kimmage-Rathmines.[11] He has been active on improving housing development at a local level since the election, including being part of a coalition [12] that convinced Dublin City Council to reduce prices for an affordable housing scheme in Oscar Traynor Woods.[13] Hayes is also a member of the Finance Strategic Policy Committee of Dublin City Council, overseeing the 1.4 billion euro city budget.[14]
In July 2024, the Social Democrats selected Hayes as their candidate in the constituency of Dublin Bay South at a constituency convention chaired by co-founder of the party, Róisín Shorthall TD.[15] [16]
At the 2024 general election, Hayes was elected to the Dáil, defeating Chris Andrews to the secure the fourth and final seat available.[17]