Seán Dublin Bay Rockall Loftus

Seán Dublin Bay Rockall Loftus (born Seán D. Loftus on 1 November 1927) is an Irish environmentalist, barrister and politician who drew attention to his campaign issues by changing his name. He is often known as "Dublin Bay Loftus". [ [http://historical-debates.oireachtas.ie/S/0133/S.0133.199206100008.html Carmencita Hederman speaking in Seanad debate 10 June, 1992] ]

Born in Dublin and educated in Coláiste Mhuire, Catholic University School, McCaffrey's College, Stephen's Green,University College, Dublin and King's Inns, Loftus qualified as a barrister. A resident of Clontarf, on Dublin Bay, he specialised in town planning law and campaigned for the sustainable development of Dublin Bay and against environmentally harmful projects in the bay. He founded the Christian Democrat Movement of Ireland in 1961 and stood for election to Dáil Éireann in the 1961 general election, the first of thirteen attempts. He was a member of Dublin City Council for 25 years, an alderman for much of that time, and a member of the Council's Planning and Development Committee. He was a member and honorary legal advisor of the "Dublin Bay Preservation Association" (later "Dublin Bay Watch").

In 1972 the Dublin Port and Docks Board proposed the building of an oil refinery in Dublin Bay. The plan was vigorously opposed by environmentalists, including Loftus, on the grounds that it posed a serious risk of pollution. Loftus stood for election to the Dáil as a Christian Democrat on the issue of Dublin Bay. As, under election rules, he would be listed as 'Independent', he changed his name by deed poll to "Seán D. Christian Democrat Dublin Bay Loftus" in order that his political affiliation and campaign issue would appear on the ballot paper. Although he was not elected, he succeeded in highlighting the issue and the proposal was eventually turned down by the Minister for Local Government, James Tully. In the following years Loftus changed his name by deed poll several times more, to "Seán Dublin Bay Loftus", "Seán Dublin Bay Rockall Loftus" (as part of a campaign to press the Irish Government to make a territorial claim to the Rockall islet 424 kilometres off the coast of County Donegal) and "Seán Alderman Dublin Bay Rockall Loftus", [see "Nealon's Guide to the 22nd Dáil and Seanad", below] among others. It was under this last name that he was finally elected to the 22nd Dáil for the Dublin North East constituency in the 1981 general election. This Dáil was short-lived, however. In the February 1982 general election he stood in two constituencies, Dublin North East and Dublin North Central, but failed to win a seat in either. He continued to contest Dáil and European elections until 1997. He remained on Dublin City Council, and served as Lord Mayor of Dublin from 1995 to 1996.

Loftus remains active as a member and honorary legal advisor of Dublin Bay Watch, and most recently led opposition to the 2002 application by the Dublin Port Company to fill in 52 acres of Dublin Bay.

He lectures in Law in the Dublin Institute of Technology.

Notes

References

* "Nealon's Guide to the 22nd Dáil and Seanad", Ted Nealon and Séamus Brennan, 1981
*oireachtas-database

External links

* [http://www.electionsireland.org/candidate.cfm?ID=2657 Elections Ireland: Sean Loftus] — electoral history, from the [http://www.electionsireland.org electionsireland.org] website

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