Coughlan unsuccessfully ran in the November 2019 by-election. He has been a member of the Workers' Party since 1992. He is the vice-chair of the local authority branch of Siptu and has campaigned against water charges in the past. He is from Churchfield.

I represent something fundamentally different to the almost identical and catch-all policies of the other parties. I represent working class people, those in employment or out of employment and those unable to work.

To fight to end the gross inequality in this city and the lopsided development of the city where almost all major facilities are located on the southside of the river - the major hospitals, UCC, CIT and the majority of employment opportunities.

Fight for the abolition of Irish Water and to have properly funded services returned to the elected local councils who would have upgraded the system decades ago if they had been given a fraction of the money thrown at Irish Water by both the present and former government.