O'Connell is a councillor on Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council. She is the Labour spokesperson for small business. She has a degree in public administration. She is a small business owner and director of the Pavillion Theatre Company.

I'm asking people to vote for me because through my real life-experience of being a parent, a renter and a small business owner, I understand many of the issues that people are facing around the cost of buying or renting a home, the cost and availability of childcare and the issues facing many in this area.

More needs to be done to rejuvenate Dún Laoghaire and restore its vibrancy. Also it is one of the most expensive places to live in Ireland and many workers cannot afford to buy or rent here, my priority is to fix this crisis.

If elected, I will work to get the issues facing small business onto the Dáil floor and on the agenda of the Committee on Jobs and Enterprise.