Eoin Hayes

Hayes was born in Limerick, Ireland. At age six, he moved to Williamsport, Pennsylvania with his family.{{Cite web|url=https://fora.ie/eoin-hayes-cantillon-labs-4812651-Sep2019/|title=Meet the man who wants to bring Silicon Valley nous to the Irish startup scene|date=September 20, 2019|website=Fora.ie}} They returned to Limerick when Hayes was 14, and he completed his Leaving Certificate at Castletroy College.

He studied chemical engineering at University College Cork, after which he completed an MSc in Management at London Business School of the University of London.

Hayes was an intern at Google in 2011{{Cite web|url=https://googleblog.blogspot.com/2011/08/my-boldest-summer-yet-recap-from.html | via = blogspot.com |title=My BOLDest summer yet: A recap from the frontlines of a Google internship}}{{better source|reason=This blog is WP:UGC. Even for WP:ABOUTSELF it's less than ideal. Is this the best/only source to support this WP:NOTCV factoid? |date=December 2024}} and worked in management consulting in New York City with a boutique firm, the Alexander Group, in 2013. From 2015 to 2017, he worked for the software company Palantir Technologies.{{cite web|url=https://extra.ie/2024/12/05/news/soc-dems-td-eoin-hayes|title=Social Democrats TD Eoin Hayes worked for Israeli army software suppliers|first=Craig|last=Hughes|website=Extra.ie|date=5 December 2024}}

On returning to Dublin in 2017, Hayes founded a consulting firm, Cantillon Labs, which he has led since.{{Cite web |title=Cantillon Labs: a start-up to help start-ups |url=https://www.businesspost.ie/connected/cantillon-labs-a-start-up-to-help-start-ups/ |website=Business Post}}

Hayes was elected as president of the Students' Union at University College Cork in 2009.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ucc.ie/en/news/archive/2014andbeyond/2013/mr-hayes-goes-to-washington.html|title=Mr. Hayes goes to Washington|website=University College Cork}} He was active in protesting against the re-introduction of student fees by the government of Fianna Fáil and the Green Party.{{Cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/cork-students-protest-over-fees-1.847365|title=Cork students protest over fees|newspaper=The Irish Times}} He was also active in opposing additional fees on students, including printing fees and graduation fees.{{Cite web |last=Murray |first=Niall |date=October 8, 2009 |title=Students protest extra conferring charge |url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-20102854.html |website=Irish Examiner}}{{Cite news |url=https://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0407/129617-ucc/ |title=UCC to charge €65 for conferring ceremonies |date=7 April 2010 |website=RTÉ News}}

In 2012, he campaigned for and was employed by the Barack Obama’s re-election campaign as a Political Deputy in the Data team at the headquarters in Chicago.{{Cite web|url=https://www.p2012.org/candidates/obamaorg.html|title=Obama for America 2012 Campaign Organization|website=www.p2012.org}}

At the 2024 Dublin City Council election, he was elected for the local electoral area of Kimmage–Rathmines.{{Cite web|url=https://www.dublincity.ie/residential/i-want/local-elections-2024-results|title=Local Elections 2024 News |website=Dublin City Council|date=6 October 2024}}{{cite web|url=https://www.electionsireland.org/candidate.cfm?ID=12573|title=Eoin Hayes|work=ElectionsIreland.org|access-date=5 January 2025}}

In July 2024, the Social Democrats selected Hayes as their candidate in the constituency of Dublin Bay South.{{Cite press release|url=https://www.socialdemocrats.ie/cllr-eoin-hayes-selected-as-soc-dems-dublin-bay-south-general-election-candidate/|title=Cllr Eoin Hayes selected as Soc Dems' Dublin Bay South general election candidate |date=July 30, 2024|website=Social Democrats}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.socialdemocrats.ie/our-people/eoin-hayes/|title=Eoin Hayes|website=Social Democrats}} At the 2024 general election, he was elected to the Dáil, defeating Chris Andrews to win the fourth and final seat available in the constituency.{{Cite news |url=https://www.rte.ie/news/election-24/results/#/dublin-bay-south |title=Dublin South Bay 2024 election results |last= |first= |date= |work=RTÉ News |publisher= |access-date=1 December 2024|quote=}}

File:Eoin Hayes - 18 December 2024 (54213452332).jpg

During his employment with Palantir Technologies, Hayes received 7,000 shares in the company, which supplies artificial intelligence tools to the Israel Defense Forces.{{Cite web |last=Hurley |first=Sandra |date=11 December 2024 |title=Eoin Hayes to sit as independent after suspension by Social Democrats |url=https://www.rte.ie/news/politics/2024/1210/1485698-eoin-hayes-soc-dems/ |access-date=11 December 2024 |website=RTE News}} At a press conference on 10 December 2024, Hayes claimed that he had disposed of his Palantir shares before entering electoral politics. However, he acknowledged later that day that he had sold the shares for €199,000 on 26 July 2024, more than a month after his election to Dublin City Council.{{Cite web |last1=Molony |first1=Senan |last2=Ó Broin |first2=Cian |date=10 December 2024|title='I let myself and the party down': Suspended Soc Dems TD Eoin Hayes says he will take his seat in Dáil as Independent |url=https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/i-let-myself-and-the-party-down-suspended-soc-dems-td-eoin-hayes-says-he-will-take-his-seat-in-dail-as-independent/a1520818353.html |access-date=11 December 2024|website=Irish Independent |language=en}} In a statement, Hayes said: "I unreservedly apologise for providing incorrect information and I am now correcting the record".

The Social Democrats suspended Hayes from the parliamentary party with immediate effect,{{cite news |title=Eoin Hayes suspended from Social Democrats after revealing he sold Palantir shares after council election |url=https://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/eoin-hayes-suspended-from-social-democrats-after-revealing-he-sold-palantir-shares-after-council-election-1706332.html |access-date=10 December 2024 |work=Breakingnews.ie |date=10 December 2024}} with deputy leader Cian O'Callaghan stating: "This is a serious matter. It is imperative that the media, who hold politicians to account on behalf of the public, can rely on the information they receive from elected representatives." Hayes sat as an independent when the 34th Dáil met for the first time on 18 December.{{Cite news |last=McGee |first=Harry |date=11 December 2024 |title=Eoin Hayes returns part of €2,500 donation received as part of general election GoFundMe campaign |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/politics/2024/12/11/eoin-hayes-returns-most-of-2500-donation-received-as-part-of-general-election-gofundme-campaign/ |access-date=12 December 2024|newspaper=The Irish Times |language=en}}

Hayes's admission also drew criticism from other parties. Sinn Féin director of elections Matt Carthy said: "Had this information been in the public domain [prior to the 2024 general election], it is my very firm belief that Eoin Hayes would not be a TD, and that [Sinn Féin candidate] Chris Andrews would have been re-elected." Claiming that Hayes had "won his seat on false pretences", Carthy called for his resignation. People Before Profit–Solidarity leader Richard Boyd Barrett accused Hayes of "profiting from genocide."

On 13 December, the Social Democrats' head office near the Dáil was evacuated after staff reported receiving a suspicious package addressed to Hayes. A number of companies located in the same building were also evacuated. However, an investigation by the army's bomb disposal unit found that the package contained no explosive material, and the Gardaí determined that the threat was not credible.{{Cite web |last=Ó Cionnaith |first=Fiachra |date=13 December 2024 |title=Alert over package sent to Soc Dems office 'not credible' - gardaí |url=https://www.rte.ie/news/politics/2024/1213/1486361-soc-dems/ |access-date=19 December 2024 |website=RTE News}}{{Cite web |last=Finn |first=Christina |date=13 December 2024|title=Suspicious package sent to Social Democrats HQ in Dublin found not credible, say gardaí |url=https://www.thejournal.ie/bomb-disposal-eoin-hayes-suspicious-package-6571118-Dec2024/ |access-date=19 December 2024|website=TheJournal.ie |language=en}}

On 11 February 2025 deputy leader Cian O'Callaghan confirmed that the national executive of the Social Democrats had completed an investigation into the matter, and chose to "endorse" the parliamentary party's decision to suspend Hayes from the parliamentary party indefinitely. He was not expelled from the party and remains a member of the Social Democrats, with no timeline to return to the parliamentary party. When asked if this meant he was still a Social Democrat TD, O'Callaghan replied: "When we made a decision back in December to suspend his membership from the parliamentary party, he wasn't a Social Democrat TD from that period onwards."{{Cite web |date=9 April 2025 |title=Social Democrats insist suspended TD Eoin Hayes is still a party TD as they land second €10,000-per-year committee chair job |url=https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/politics/social-democrats-insist-suspended-td-eoin-hayes-is-still-a-party-td-as-they-land-second-10000-per-year-committee-chair-job/a228956673.html |access-date=13 April 2025|website=Irish Independent |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=11 February 2025|title=Eoin Hayes’ suspension from Soc Dems extended after national executive review |url=https://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/hayes-suspension-from-social-democrats-extended-after-national-executive-review-1728758.html |access-date=8 March 2025|website=BreakingNews.ie |language=en}}{{cite news |last=Pepper |first=Diarmuid |date=11 February 2025 |title=Eoin Hayes' suspension from Social Democrats endorsed by party’s national executive |url=https://www.thejournal.ie/eoin-hayes-suspension-from-social-democrats-endorsed-national-executive-6619699-Feb2025/ |access-date=11 February 2025 |work=TheJournal.ie |publisher= |location=}}

On 9 April 2025 it was revealed that the previous day Cian O'Callaghan had written to the clerk of the Dáil saying: “There were 11 Social Democrat TDs elected to this Dáil and, not withstanding internal disciplinary measures, there remain 11 Social Democrat TDs in our party.”. This was for the purposes of the party getting to chair an additional Oireachtas committee as they are apportioned according to party/group size. Without counting Hayes, they would have only received a single committee Chair.{{Cite web |date=9 April 2025 |title=Social Democrats insist suspended TD Eoin Hayes is still a party TD as they land second €10,000-per-year committee chair job |url=https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/politics/social-democrats-insist-suspended-td-eoin-hayes-is-still-a-party-td-as-they-land-second-10000-per-year-committee-chair-job/a228956673.html |access-date=13 April 2025 |website=Irish Independent |language=en}} O'Callaghan also clarified that there had been "no change" to his status within the party and that measures announced in February were still in place.{{Cite web |last=Matthews |first=Jane |date=9 April 2025|title=In or out? Social Democrats say Eoin Hayes is a Social Democrat (indefinitely) |url=https://www.thejournal.ie/eon-hayes-social-democrats-committees-6673522-Apr2025/ |access-date=13 April 2025 |website=TheJournal.ie |language=en}}

{{reflist}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20241203160725/https://www.socialdemocrats.ie/our-people/eoin-hayes/ Social Democrats profile – Archive]

{{Current TDs}}

{{Dublin Bay South (Dáil constituency)/TDs}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hayes, Eoin}}

Category:Living people

Category:1987 births

Category:Alumni of London Business School

Category:Alumni of University College Cork

Category:Members of the 34th Dáil

Category:Politicians from Limerick (city)

Category:People educated at Castletroy College

Category:Social Democrats (Ireland) TDs

Category:Independent TDs

Category:Social Democrats (Ireland) local councillors

Category:Members of Dublin City Council