Sean Gallagher challenger Glenna Lynch to run for election

A businesswoman who confronted presidential candidate Sean Gallagher on live TV over his business ethics and was subsequently accused of being a “political plant” is set to run for the Social Democrats.

Glenna Lynch was announced as the latest person to put herself forward to seek election for the fledgling party alongside ex-Labour councillor Cian O’Callaghan yesterday.

An interior designer who has previously been involved in political groups Democracy Matters and the Independent Alliance, Ms Lynch came to prominence in November 2011 when she confronted Mr Gallagher during a live TV presidential debate.

Speaking from the crowd, the politically unaffiliated Ms Lynch accused the Fianna Fáil-linked Independent candidate Mr Gallagher of having questionable business ethics moments before an infamous bogus tweet from a fake Sinn Féin account made allegations about the businessman he says effectively ended his campaign.

Sean Gallagher

Responding afterwards on RTÉ radio, Mr Gallagher suggested Ms Lynch was a “political plant”, before she phoned in to refute the allegation.

Ms Lynch will run in the four-seat Dublin Bay South constituency for the Social Democrats, joining nine other candidates revealed by the new party.

Among the others are, Catherine Murphy advisor Ann Marie McNally and ex-Labour senator James Heffernan.