Mae Sexton
Encyclopedia
Mae Sexton is an Irish
Labour Party
politician. She was previously a Progressive Democrats
Teachta Dála
(TD) for the Longford–Roscommon constituency from 2002 to 2007.
of Glack, near Longford
town. In 2010, after the dissolution of the Progressive Democrats, she became a member of the Labour Party.
candidate for Longford Urban District Council and Longford
County Council
and was elected to both bodies, receiving the largest number of votes in each case. She stood at the 1992 general election
in Longford–Roscommon as an independent candidate, but obtained only 1,160 first preference votes (2.6%), and was eliminated, failing to be elected.
Prior to the 1997 general election
, she joined the Progressive Democrats, and stood in the Longford–Roscommon constituency for the party, obtaining 2,289 first preference votes (4.8%), and being eliminated on the second count.
She was re-elected to both Longford Urban District and County Councils in the 1999 local elections, although her first preference vote for both bodies had declined.
She stood again at the 2002 general election
. Her first preference vote increased to 4,679 (9.4%), and she was elected to Dáil Éireann
, finishing 54 votes ahead of a Fianna Fáil
candidate for the final seat, having edged out the sitting Fine Gael
TD, Louis Belton
, by just over 200 votes at an earlier stage in the count.
Her election in 2002, in a predominantly rural midland constituency for a party often associated with the urban middle classes was one of the major surprises of that election, and came after a series of near misses from elimination during the progress of the election count.
after the defeats of the referendums in France and the Netherlands.
was included in a new Longford–Westmeath constituency. At the local elections in 2004, in which Sexton was not allowed to stand because of legislation forbidding TDs and Senators to serve on local councils, her personal vote largely failed to transfer to her local party colleagues, with her former County Council seat being lost and only the Longford Town Council seat being held by the party.
At the 2007 general election she lost her seat, polling only 2,298 first preference votes (4.2%) in the new constituency and being eliminated on the third count. Unofficial tally
figures published in local newspapers showed that her vote had halved in her County Longford base, while she received negligible support in County Westmeath. After the poor performance of the PDs in the election, she claimed in an interview with local radio to be still committed to the party.
in Longford. She regained her seats on both the Longford County and Town Councils.
. She was unsuccessful garnering 3,960 votes or 6.88% of the poll.
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
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...
politician. She was previously a Progressive Democrats
Progressive Democrats
The Progressive Democrats , commonly known as the PDs, was a pro-free market liberal political party in the Republic of Ireland.Launched on 21 December 1985 by Desmond O'Malley and other politicians who had split from Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, the Progressive Democrats took liberal positions on...
Teachta Dála
Teachta Dála
A Teachta Dála , usually abbreviated as TD in English, is a member of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas . It is the equivalent of terms such as "Member of Parliament" or "deputy" used in other states. The official translation of the term is "Deputy to the Dáil", though a more literal...
(TD) for the Longford–Roscommon constituency from 2002 to 2007.
Background
She is a native of the townlandTownland
A townland or bally is a small geographical division of land used in Ireland. The townland system is of Gaelic origin—most townlands are believed to pre-date the Norman invasion and most have names derived from the Irish language...
of Glack, near Longford
Longford
Longford is the county town of County Longford in Ireland. It has a population of 7,622 according to the 2006 census. Approximately one third of the county's population resides in the town. Longford town is also the biggest town in the county...
town. In 2010, after the dissolution of the Progressive Democrats, she became a member of the Labour Party.
Political career
Mae Sexton first became active in elected politics in 1991, when she stood as an IndependentIndependent (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...
candidate for Longford Urban District Council and Longford
County Longford
County Longford is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Midlands Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Longford.Longford County Council is the local authority for the county...
County Council
County council
A county council is the elected administrative body governing an area known as a county. This term has slightly different meanings in different countries.-United Kingdom:...
and was elected to both bodies, receiving the largest number of votes in each case. She stood at the 1992 general election
Irish general election, 1992
The Irish general election of 1992 was held on Wednesday, 25 November 1992, almost three weeks after the dissolution of the Dáil on 5 November. However, after difficulties in forming a government the newly elected 166 members of the 27th Dáil did not assemble at Leinster House until 4 January 1993...
in Longford–Roscommon as an independent candidate, but obtained only 1,160 first preference votes (2.6%), and was eliminated, failing to be elected.
Prior to the 1997 general election
Irish general election, 1997
The Irish general election of 1997 was held on Friday, 6 June 1997. The 166 newly elected members of the 28th Dáil assembled on 26 June 1997 when a new Taoiseach and government were appointed....
, she joined the Progressive Democrats, and stood in the Longford–Roscommon constituency for the party, obtaining 2,289 first preference votes (4.8%), and being eliminated on the second count.
She was re-elected to both Longford Urban District and County Councils in the 1999 local elections, although her first preference vote for both bodies had declined.
She stood again at the 2002 general election
Irish general election, 2002
The Irish general election of 2002 was held on Friday, 17 May 2002 just over three weeks after the dissolution of the 28th Dáil on Thursday 25 April by President Mary McAleese, at the request of the Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern...
. Her first preference vote increased to 4,679 (9.4%), and she was elected to Dáil Éireann
Dáil Éireann
Dáil Éireann is the lower house, but principal chamber, of the Oireachtas , which also includes the President of Ireland and Seanad Éireann . It is directly elected at least once in every five years under the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote...
, finishing 54 votes ahead of a Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party , more commonly known as Fianna Fáil is a centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland, founded on 23 March 1926. Fianna Fáil's name is traditionally translated into English as Soldiers of Destiny, although a more accurate rendition would be Warriors of Fál...
candidate for the final seat, having edged out the sitting Fine Gael
Fine Gael
Fine Gael is a centre-right to centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland. It is the single largest party in Ireland in the Oireachtas, in local government, and in terms of Members of the European Parliament. The party has a membership of over 35,000...
TD, Louis Belton
Louis Belton
Louis J. Belton is a former Irish Fine Gael politician from County Longford, and the seventh member of the Belton family to be elected to the Oireachtas....
, by just over 200 votes at an earlier stage in the count.
Her election in 2002, in a predominantly rural midland constituency for a party often associated with the urban middle classes was one of the major surprises of that election, and came after a series of near misses from elimination during the progress of the election count.
In Dáil Éireann
Sexton maintained an active profile within County Longford during her time as a Dáil deputy and built a minor profile nationally as a panellist on political discussion programmes on radio and television. In June 2005, she attracted attention by calling for the Irish government to abandon plans for a referendum on the European ConstitutionTreaty establishing a Constitution for Europe
The Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe , , was an unratified international treaty intended to create a consolidated constitution for the European Union...
after the defeats of the referendums in France and the Netherlands.
2007 general election
Her political future was affected by changes in constituency boundaries which came into force at the 2007 general election. County LongfordCounty Longford
County Longford is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Midlands Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Longford.Longford County Council is the local authority for the county...
was included in a new Longford–Westmeath constituency. At the local elections in 2004, in which Sexton was not allowed to stand because of legislation forbidding TDs and Senators to serve on local councils, her personal vote largely failed to transfer to her local party colleagues, with her former County Council seat being lost and only the Longford Town Council seat being held by the party.
At the 2007 general election she lost her seat, polling only 2,298 first preference votes (4.2%) in the new constituency and being eliminated on the third count. Unofficial tally
Tally (voting)
A tally is an unofficial private observation of an election count carried out under Proportional Representation using the Single Transferable Vote. Tallymen, predominantly a feature of the Irish electoral process, are appointed by political candidates and parties. They observe the opening of...
figures published in local newspapers showed that her vote had halved in her County Longford base, while she received negligible support in County Westmeath. After the poor performance of the PDs in the election, she claimed in an interview with local radio to be still committed to the party.
2009 local elections
With the dissolution of the Progressive Democrats in 2009, Sexton stood as an Independent candidate at the 2009 local electionsIrish local elections, 2009
The 2009 Irish local elections were held in all the counties, cities and towns of Ireland on Friday, 5 June 2009, on the same day as the European Parliament election and two by-elections .-Overview:...
in Longford. She regained her seats on both the Longford County and Town Councils.
Labour Party membership
In April 2010, the Labour Party announced that Sexton had accepted an invitation to join the party. Sexton ran in the 2011 general election in Longford–Westmeath alongside sitting Labour TD Willie PenroseWillie Penrose
Willie Penrose is an Irish politician. He has been a Teachta Dála for the Longford–Westmeath constituency since May 2007...
. She was unsuccessful garnering 3,960 votes or 6.88% of the poll.