Ward was co-opted onto South Dublin County Council on 14 March 2016, representing the Clondalkin local electoral area.[6] He was elected Mayor of South Dublin in June 2018, serving until June 2019. He was reelected to the council in the May 2019 election, this time for the Palmerstown–Fonthill local electoral area. On 30 November 2019, he was elected to Dáil Éireann in the 2019 Dublin Mid-West by-election.[7][8] Lisa Colman was co-opted to Ward's seat on South Dublin County Council following his election to the Dáil. Despite predictions that he would lose his seat, he retained it at the 2020 general election, alongside his running mate Eoin O'Broin.[9][10]
Personal life
Ward has three children.[6] He is a fan of DublinGaelic footballers, and has a full back tattoo of the Dublin GAA crest.[11] From November 2016 until 2017, he was homeless, and this experience has resulted in him vowing to focus on housing as his main priority in politics.[12]
^O’ Flaherty, Aideen (5 July 2018). "New Mayor reveals how he became homeless". Archived from the original on 3 September 2019. Retrieved 30 November 2019. The newly elected Mayor of South Dublin County Council and Sinn Féin councillor for Clondalkin, Mark Ward, revealed during his acceptance speech on Friday that he was homeless for several months during 2016 and 2017, and that housing will be his top priority during his mayorship.