About Me

Born and reared in County Louth I have had the proud honour of being a public representative since 2004. I became involved in politics arising from my long time involvement in the STAD Campaign to stop nuclear reprocessing at Sellafield.

I am married to Laura who works as a radiographer and we have two beautiful children Stella and Eamon.

My grandfather, James Dearey, started his first business in Dundalk in 1932. My father, also James, subsequently took over this well-loved drapery business on Clanbrassil Street and ran it until his retirement in 2004. Being a self-employed business person is definitely in my blood.

I originally trained as a secondary school teacher but I have been largely self-employed since 1991, working as an organic food producer before buying The Spirit Store in Dundalk in 1999 and making it into a well-loved music venue. As a result I know at first hand the challenges small business owners face everyday.

Why did I join the Green Party? For me the Green Party are about long term planning and economic policy that takes account of the limits of the environment and the economy. We strive for a stable economy and a secure and supportive society for now and for generations to come.