Bríd Smith

Bríd Smith is an Irish People Before Profit Alliance political activist, and a Teachta Dála (TD) for Dublin South-Central. Before this she sat as a Ballyfermot–Drimnagh representative on Dublin City Council, and was a candidate for the European Parliament.
Smith regularly participates in campaigns and protests. In 2001 she was an ATGWU shop steward and Secretary of the Campaign Against Partnership Deals. She was a spokesperson for the Anti-Bin Tax Campaign. She has addressed the crowd at demonstrations, such as the visit to Dublin by former British prime minister Tony Blair and the 2004 protests against the Iraq War. She has criticised health cuts implemented by the government at Cherry Orchard Hospital and organised a protest against Mary Harney on behalf of the Save Cherry Orchard Hospital Campaign. She opposed the Treaty of Lisbon. She opposes the alcohol industry's sponsorship of sporting events.
Smith was director of elections for the People Before Profit Alliance at the 2011 general election. She stood as a candidate in the Dublin constituency at the 2014 European Parliament election, splitting the left vote and being blamed in some quarters for the loss of Paul Murphy's seat.
Smith was narrowly elected as TD for Dublin South-Central at the 2016 general election. This had been the fourth time she had stood for the Dáil. On 10 March 2016, at the first sitting of the 32nd Dáil, she seconded the nomination of Richard Boyd Barrett for the role of Taoiseach.