Patrick Costello (Irish politician)

Costello attended Gonzaga College before studying at University College Dublin, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology in 2002. He did a course in Drugs Counselling Theory and Intervention Skills. He later completed a Master of Social Work at Trinity College Dublin.{{Cite web|url=https://ie.linkedin.com/in/costellop|title=Patrick Costello LinkedIn|website=LinkedIn}} He is a volunteer with Scouting Ireland in the 6th Dublin (Leeson Park) Scout Group.{{Cite web|url= https://www.greenparty.ie/people/patrick-costello |title=Patrick Costello biography|website=Green Party}}

After graduating, Costello worked in a variety of front line roles in homeless agencies and services for adults and children. He worked in Merchants Quay Ireland, Focus Ireland and for the HSE. He was working as a child protection social worker when he first ran for the local elections.

Costello is a board member of Clay Youth Project in Crumlin and served as a Human Rights Observer in Palestine with EAPPI.

He ran in the 2014 Dublin City Council election in the Rathgar–Rathmines local electoral area and topped the poll.{{cite web|url=https://www.electionsireland.org/candidate.cfm?ID=10357|title=Patrick Costello|work=ElectionsIreland.org|access-date=11 March 2025}} He then ran again in the 2019 Dublin City Council election in the Kimmage–Rathmines local electoral area and again topped the poll.{{Cite news|url=https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/elections-2019/local/people-want-change-hazel-chu-and-fiance-patrick-costello-win-green-seats-in-separate-constituencies-38148223.html|newspaper=Irish Independent|title='People want change' - Hazel Chu and fiancé Patrick Costello win Green seats in separate constituencies|access-date=1 March 2020|archive-date=23 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210923204545/https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/elections-2019/local/people-want-change-hazel-chu-and-fiance-patrick-costello-win-green-seats-in-separate-constituencies-38148223.html|url-status=live}}{{cite news |author= |date=26 May 2019 |title=The Green Wave: a new breed of eco-councillors |url=https://greennews.ie/green-wave-new-breed/ |access-date=10 February 2020 |archive-date=16 May 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200516235028/https://greennews.ie/green-wave-new-breed/ |url-status=live }}

At the general election in February 2020, Costello was elected as a TD for the Dublin South-Central constituency.{{cite news |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/dublin-south-central-results-fine-gael-junior-minister-catherine-byrne-loses-seat-1.4165262 |title=Dublin South-Central results: Fine Gael junior minister Catherine Byrne loses seat |date=10 February 2020 |first=Jack |last=Power |newspaper=The Irish Times |location=Dublin |access-date=5 June 2021 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210605095324/https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/dublin-south-central-results-fine-gael-junior-minister-catherine-byrne-loses-seat-1.4165262 |archive-date=5 June 2021 }} Carolyn Moore was co-opted to Costello's seat on Dublin City Council following his election to the Dáil.

In December 2020 Costello, alongside fellow Green TD Neasa Hourigan, raised major concerns about the entry of Ireland into the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), a trade agreement between Canada and members of the EU, due to fears about the proposed investment court system. The investment court system is designed to act as a method of solving business disputes between investors and participating countries. Costello argued that the court system would allow Canadians investing in Ireland to sue the state if the state impeded their profits, such as with environmentalist laws, and this was a major threat to Ireland's sovereignty.{{cite news |last=O'Faolain |first=Aodhan |date=16 September 2021 |title=High Court dismisses Ceta challenge by Green Party TD Patrick Costello |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-law/courts/high-court/high-court-dismisses-ceta-challenge-by-green-party-td-patrick-costello-1.4675783 |newspaper=The Irish Times |location= |access-date=1 August 2022}}{{cite news |last=O'Loughlin |first=Ann |date=29 March 2022 |title=Green TDs appeal against EU-Canada trade deal opens in Supreme Court |url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/courtandcrime/arid-40839815.html |work=Irish Examiner |location= |access-date=1 August 2022}} Costello suggested that the matter may need to be resolved by a referendum.{{cite news |last=Collins |first=Sarah |date=4 July 2022 |title=Ireland needs to act soon on EU-wide patent court referendum |url=https://www.independent.ie/business/irish/ireland-needs-to-act-soon-on-eu-wide-patent-court-referendum-41810542.html |work=Irish Independent |location= |access-date=1 August 2022}} In July 2021 Costello brought the matter before the High Court, arguing aspects of the trade deal would be unconstitutional. In Costello v. Government of Ireland, the High Court ruled in September 2021 against Costello. In November 2022, the Supreme Court found on appeal that current Irish law prohibited ratification of CETA.{{cite news |last1=O'Donnell |first1=Orla |title=Costello wins court challenge over CETA ratification |url=https://www.rte.ie/news/courts/2022/1111/1335531-costello-ceta-court-challenge/ |access-date=11 November 2022 |work=RTÉ News |date=11 November 2022}}

On 17 May 2022 Costello and Hourigan were both suspended from the Green Party for six months after they voted against the government on a motion calling for the new National Maternity Hospital to be built on land wholly owned by the state.{{cite web |url=https://www.rte.ie/news/politics/2022/0519/1299855-party-whip/ |title=Green Party suspends two TDs after vote against Govt |publisher=Raidió Teilifís Éireann |date=19 May 2022}} Before the vote, Hourigan explained her rationale by saying she could not support the government's decision to approve plans to move the National Maternity Hospital from Holles Street to the St Vincent's Hospital campus due to concerns over the governance and ethos at the new facility,{{cite news |last=O'Connell |first=Hugh |date=17 May 2022 |title=Two Green TDs suspended from party for six months after they defy Coalition and back Sinn Féin motion on National Maternity Hospital |url=https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/politics/two-green-tds-suspended-from-party-for-six-months-after-they-defy-coalition-and-back-sinn-fein-motion-on-national-maternity-hospital-41664389.html |work=Irish Independent |location= |access-date=18 May 2022}} which is to be built on a site ultimately leased from the Catholic Church, and with fears in some quarters that potential lingering religious influence could mean abortions or fertility treatment would not be allowed to take place at the new hospital.{{cite news |last1=Bray |first1=Jennifer |last2=Burns |first2=Sarah |title=National Maternity Hospital: Green Party suspends two TDs for voting with Opposition |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/national-maternity-hospital-green-party-suspends-two-tds-for-voting-with-opposition-1.4881766 |access-date=2 December 2022 |newspaper=The Irish Times |date=18 May 2022}} The government coalition parties (Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil and the Greens) had been whipped to abstain on the motion. Costello and Hourigan were re-admitted to the parliamentary party in November 2022.{{cite news|date=23 November 2022|title=Government officially regains Dáil majority after Hourigan and Costello readmitted into Green Party fold |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/politics/2022/11/23/government-officially-regains-dail-majority-after-hourigan-and-costello-readmitted-into-green-party-fold/|first=Cormac|last=McQuinn|newspaper=The Irish Times}}

He lost his seat at the 2024 general election.

In 2021, he married Hazel Chu, the then Lord Mayor of Dublin.{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/news/hazel-chu-and-patrick-costello-married-incasual-and-relaxedwedding-at-the-mansion-house-40560051.html|work=Irish Independent|title=Hazel Chu and Patrick Costello married in 'casual and relaxed' wedding at the Mansion House|date=20 June 2021|access-date=23 September 2021|archive-date=20 June 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210620161609/https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/news/hazel-chu-and-patrick-costello-married-incasual-and-relaxedwedding-at-the-mansion-house-40560051.html|url-status=live}}{{cite web |url=http://patrickcostello.ie/#about |title=about me |last=Costello |first=Patrick |access-date=10 February 2020 |archive-date=13 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200813115231/http://patrickcostello.ie/#about |url-status=live }}{{cite tweet|author=Lord Mayor of Dublin|user=lordmayordublin|date=29 June 2020|number=1277660679525318657|title=Cllr @hazechu has been elected the 352nd Lord Mayor of Dublin.|access-date=29 June 2020}} They first met while both studying at University College Dublin. They have one daughter.

His mother Mary Litton Costello was an administrator in Trinity College Dublin and his father Peter Costello is an author and expert on James Joyce.{{cn|date=July 2020}}

{{reflist}}

• [https://www.greenparty.ie/people/patrick-costello/ Green Party profile]

{{Dublin South-Central (Dáil constituency)/TDs}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Costello, Patrick}}

Category:Living people

Category:1980 births

Category:Alumni of Trinity College Dublin

Category:Alumni of University College Dublin

Category:Green Party (Ireland) TDs

Category:Members of Dublin City Council

Category:Members of the 33rd Dáil

Category:Green Party (Ireland) local councillors