“I’m fiercely proud of Louth, and I want to be a TD that Louth can be proud of.” So says Councillor Marianne Butler who has been officially selected by the Green Party as their candidate for Louth in the upcoming general election. She brings over 15 years of experience in Louth County Council to her campaign and this is her debut run for Dáil Éireann.
“I’m running for the Dáil because I want to try and tackle the root cause of the issues facing my constituents. I am confronted on a daily basis by the challenges people face in housing, healthcare, education, childcare and a host of other areas” Councillor Butler said: “As a councillor, I can only do so much. As their TD, I could do a whole lot more.”
Butler grew up in Dundalk and currently lives on Avenue Road with her husband and two young sons. She has held pivotal roles in local governance, including former Chair of Dundalk Town Council and Vice Chair of Louth County Council. Her service extends into education and community development as a former member of the governing body of DKIT, the Louth Meath Education & Training Board, and the board of Creative Spark.
Reflecting on the Green Party’s record in government, Butler expressed optimism but also caution about leaving the main parties in power without a junior partner to push them hard.
“We have shown change is possible if politicians are focussed on results and pursue them with a sense of urgency. It has allowed us to reduce Ireland’s carbon emissions to their lowest levels in 30 years, double investment in public transport, slash the cost of childcare by 50%, and massively increase support for the arts and sporting organisations. In the next Dáil we need to take the same approach to other areas where our coalition partners have not made as much progress.”
With a clear vision for Louth, Butler aims to champion positive change for her community and beyond:
“Louth is a vibrant county, home to two of Ireland’s largest towns, thriving businesses, stunning natural amenities, and continuously improving infrastructure. But we need a local TD who is thinking about what’s next: enhancing local public transport, ensuring children have access to safe green spaces, building new schools for our growing communities, supporting DKIT in its journey toward university status, and strengthening local businesses.
“For me, politics is about public service and delivering real results for the community. I’m fiercely proud of Louth, and I want to be a TD that Louth can be proud of.”
