New Lord Mayor wants to avoid constant questioning on Sinn Féin

The new Lord Mayor of Dublin said she is not going to continuously answer questions about her party, Sinn Féin.

Criona Ni Dhalaigh was elected at last night's meeting of Dublin City Council, where Sinn Féin hold more seats than any other party.

Her comments come after the son of a prison officer murdered by the IRA expressed his disgust that a Sinn Féin councillor would be in place for the centenary celebrations of the Rising next year.

Austin Stack, whose father Brian was killed in 1983, accused Sinn Féin of trying to "hijack" the 1916 celebrations.

However, newly-elected Lord Mayor Ni Dhalaigh said that as the capital's first citizen, she has a much broader brief than the affairs of her party.

"I don't want to continuously be answering questions to do with Sinn Féin. I'm elected to represent the citizens of the first city. I'm aware of the concerns, but I have a mandate," she said.

"I want to use this opportunity I've been given to actually highlight the issues of huge concern to the citizens of Dublin - which are housing and employment."

Speaking after her election last night, she said the Proclamation of the Irish Republic "speaks to us today more urgently than ever."

“The Proclamation’s commitment to “equal rights and equal opportunities” for all our people has yet to be fulfilled. We do not yet live in an equal city, or an equal country."

She said she would work for employees' rights and integrate the use of Irish language "in daily Dublin life."