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Robert Dowds TD

As a newly elected TD for the people of Dublin Mid West, serving the people of Clondalkin, Palmerstown, Lucan, Newcastle, Saggart, Rathcoole and Brittas, I am determined to do my utmost to help build and develop our communities and to help to turn this country around.

My priorities are job creation, encouraging educational achievement, tackling drug addiction and drug crime, tackling anti-social behaviour.

If you you wish to discuss any issue with me, please get in contact. My details are listed on the right hand side of this page.

Here is a bit of background information on myself and why it is that I got involved in politics:

I grew up in north Dublin and at the age of 17, I joined the Labour Party and began to work and campaign for social justice in Ireland. I was active in student politics while studying at Trinity College, including as a member of Amnesty International.

In 1982 I moved to Clondalkin, where I was active in support of the then-sitting Labour TD and future Minister for Equality & Law Reform, Mervyn Taylor. As a Minister it was Mervyn who introduced the divorce law in Ireland and many other pieces of progressive legislation which, though now almost universally accepted as basic rights and common sense, at the time were bitterly opposed by conservatives. I learned an enormous amount from Mervyn Taylor, and worked closely with him to help promote progressive policies in Ireland.

My political activity has always been motivated by a deep belief in a fairer society and in the need for active involvement in the community. I have always made it my business to ensure that those who are in difficulties know that if they seek my help I will try to assist them in any way that I can.

I was first elected as a councillor in 1999 and again in 2004 and 2009, with an ever-increasing share of first preference votes, and topped the poll in the 2009 Local Elections in the Clondalkin Ward. My belief in integrity, honesty and hard work is at the core of the reason why I have continued to earn greater levels of support among our community. I had the honour of serving as Mayor of South Dublin from June 2004 - June 2005.

As a professional, I taught at Scoil Mochua, a school for young people with physical disabilities in Clondalkin, and I was previously principal of St. John’s National School in Clondalkin.

I am married and we have two grown children. Like many others of their age, both of my children have had to emigrate in search of work.

My current campaigns include outfitting the local drop-in centre for senior citizens, maintaining and improving addiction services, improvements to local housing and transport, maintaining and improving local recreation areas and maintaining public transport links.

Highlights of my success as a local representative include keeping the area around Clondalkin Round Tower free from development for eventual use as a public park, providing sports changing rooms in Corkagh Park, providing space for a senior citizen facility in Clondalkin Village and improvements to local authority housing.