Katherine Zappone
Encyclopedia
Katherine Zappone is a member of the Irish Human Rights Commission and an independent
member of Seanad Éireann
.
Zappone was born in Washington state, and educated at Boston College
(PhD), The Catholic University of America
(MA) and University College Dublin
(MBA). She and her wife, Ann Louise Gilligan, run An Cosán which supports individuals and communities to actively engage in the process of social change through transformative education. She is a former CEO of the National Women's Council of Ireland.
In November 2004, Katherine Zappone and Ann Louise Gilligan (K & AL) were granted leave by the Irish High Court to pursue a claim to have their September 2003 Canadian marriage
recognised for the filing of joint tax returns in Ireland. On 23 February 2007 the "KAL" case was appealed to the Supreme Court of Ireland. The case is expected to come before the Supreme Court in 2011.
In May 2011, she was nominated by the Taoiseach Enda Kenny
to the 24th Seanad
, having been recommended by the Labour Party
leader Eamon Gilmore
.
She is the first openly lesbian member of the Oireachtas
and the first member in a recognised same-sex relationship.
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
member of Seanad Éireann
Seanad Éireann
Seanad Éireann is the upper house of the Oireachtas , which also comprises the President of Ireland and Dáil Éireann . It is commonly called the Seanad or Senate and its members Senators or Seanadóirí . Unlike Dáil Éireann, it is not directly elected but consists of a mixture of members chosen by...
.
Zappone was born in Washington state, and educated at Boston College
Boston College
Boston College is a private Jesuit research university located in the village of Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA. The main campus is bisected by the border between the cities of Boston and Newton. It has 9,200 full-time undergraduates and 4,000 graduate students. Its name reflects its early...
(PhD), The Catholic University of America
The Catholic University of America
The Catholic University of America is a private university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States. It is a pontifical university of the Catholic Church in the United States and the only institution of higher education founded by the U.S. Catholic bishops...
(MA) and University College Dublin
University College Dublin
University College Dublin ) - formally known as University College Dublin - National University of Ireland, Dublin is the Republic of Ireland's largest, and Ireland's second largest, university, with over 1,300 faculty and 17,000 students...
(MBA). She and her wife, Ann Louise Gilligan, run An Cosán which supports individuals and communities to actively engage in the process of social change through transformative education. She is a former CEO of the National Women's Council of Ireland.
In November 2004, Katherine Zappone and Ann Louise Gilligan (K & AL) were granted leave by the Irish High Court to pursue a claim to have their September 2003 Canadian marriage
Same-sex marriage in British Columbia
Same-sex marriage in British Columbia became legal on July 8, 2003, becoming the second region in Canada to legalize same-sex marriage, behind Ontario, after a series of court rulings which ultimately landed in favour of same-sex couples seeking marriage licenses.Canada became the fourth country in...
recognised for the filing of joint tax returns in Ireland. On 23 February 2007 the "KAL" case was appealed to the Supreme Court of Ireland. The case is expected to come before the Supreme Court in 2011.
In May 2011, she was nominated by the Taoiseach Enda Kenny
Enda Kenny
Enda Kenny is an Irish Fine Gael politician, and has been the Taoiseach since 2011. He has led Fine Gael since 2002. He served as Minister for Tourism and Trade from 1994 to 1997. He is also a two-term Vice President of the European People's Party.Kenny has been a Teachta Dála for Mayo since...
to the 24th Seanad
Members of the 24th Seanad
This is a list of the members of the 24th Seanad Éireann, the upper house of the Oireachtas of Ireland. These Senators were elected on 27 April 2011 after postal voting closed. The Taoiseach's nominees were announced on 20 May 2011. The Seanad election took place 60 days after the 2011 general...
, having been recommended by the Labour Party
Labour Party (Ireland)
The Labour Party is a social-democratic political party in the Republic of Ireland. The Labour Party was founded in 1912 in Clonmel, County Tipperary, by James Connolly, James Larkin and William X. O'Brien as the political wing of the Irish Trade Union Congress. Unlike the other main Irish...
leader Eamon Gilmore
Eamon Gilmore
Eamon Gilmore is an Irish Labour Party politician and the current Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade. He has been the Leader of the Labour Party since September 2007, and a Teachta Dála for the Dún Laoghaire constituency since 1989, first with the Workers' Party of Ireland, and...
.
She is the first openly lesbian member of the Oireachtas
Oireachtas
The Oireachtas , sometimes referred to as Oireachtas Éireann, is the "national parliament" or legislature of Ireland. The Oireachtas consists of:*The President of Ireland*The two Houses of the Oireachtas :**Dáil Éireann...
and the first member in a recognised same-sex relationship.