Alan Farrell (38) was the junior on the Fine Gael ticket behind Dr James Reilly and was expected to struggle at the expense of the more high-profile Minister. However he polled much more strongly than his running mate and was the third person elected in the constituency. He was first elected to Fingal County Council in 2004 and served as deputy mayor and then mayor of Fingal. He became a TD in 2011 and served on the joint Oireachtas committee on justice, equality and defence and the joint Oireachtas committee on finance, public expenditure and reform. He was chairman of the Fine Gael committee on public expenditure and reform. He was embroiled in controversy in his first term after he recruited his wife, Emma Doyle, as his parliamentary assistant. He rejected accusations of cronyism.