Maureen O'Sullivan (politician)
Encyclopedia
Maureen O'Sullivan is an Irish
independent
politician. She has been a Teachta Dála
(TD) for the Dublin Central
constituency since June 2009. She was first elected to Dáil Éireann
on the 6 June 2009 in a by-election
.
, she was educated locally at Mount Carmel school. After completing a BA
at University College Dublin
, she then went on to work as an English and History teacher and guidance counsellor
in a secondary school in Baldoyle
, a position she held for 30 years.
's local political organisation in the 1970s where she served as his director of elections. She was co-opted onto Dublin City Council
for the North inner city area from September 2008 to June 2009 after the retirement of Mick Rafferty. After the death of Tony Gregory
, she won the resulting by election
. She was re-elected at the 2011 general election.
She described a proposal for political gender quota legislation as "tokenistic" and that women were able to get themselves nominated for election.
O'Sullivan was a supporter of David Norris in his bid to become President of Ireland
, before he withdrew from the contest.
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,...
independent
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...
politician. She has been a 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 Dublin Central
Dublin Central (Dáil Éireann constituency)
Dublin Central is a parliamentary constituency represented in Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament or Oireachtas. The constituency elects 4 deputies...
constituency since June 2009. She was first 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...
on the 6 June 2009 in a by-election
Dublin Central by-election, 2009
A by-election was held in the Dublin Central constituency in Ireland on Friday, 5 June 2009, following the death of the Independent Teachta Dála Tony Gregory on 2 January 2009. The by-election was held on the same day as the 2009 European and local elections. A by-election was held in the Dublin...
.
Early life
A native of Dublin's East WallEast Wall
East Wall is an inner city area of the Northside of Dublin, Ireland.-Location:East Wall is bounded by the North Strand Road to the west, by North Wall and the Royal Canal to the south, and was bounded by East Wall Road, Dublin to the north until land reclamation extended that part...
, she was educated locally at Mount Carmel school. After completing a BA
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
at 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...
, she then went on to work as an English and History teacher and guidance counsellor
School counselor
A school counselor is a counselor and an educator who works in elementary, middle, and high schools to provide academic, career, college access, and personal/social competencies to K-12 students...
in a secondary school in Baldoyle
Baldoyle
Baldoyle is a small coastal area on the northside of Dublin, Ireland. It is in the part of the historic County Dublin now administered as Fingal.-Location and Access:...
, a position she held for 30 years.
Political career
She was a member of Tony GregoryTony Gregory
Tony Gregory was an Irish Independent politician and a Teachta Dála for the Dublin Central constituency from 1982 to 2009.-Early life:...
's local political organisation in the 1970s where she served as his director of elections. She was co-opted onto Dublin City Council
Dublin City Council
Dublin City Council is the local authority for the city of Dublin in Ireland. It has 52 members and is the largest local authority in Ireland. Until 2001, it was known as Dublin Corporation.-Legal status:...
for the North inner city area from September 2008 to June 2009 after the retirement of Mick Rafferty. After the death of Tony Gregory
Tony Gregory
Tony Gregory was an Irish Independent politician and a Teachta Dála for the Dublin Central constituency from 1982 to 2009.-Early life:...
, she won the resulting by election
Dublin Central by-election, 2009
A by-election was held in the Dublin Central constituency in Ireland on Friday, 5 June 2009, following the death of the Independent Teachta Dála Tony Gregory on 2 January 2009. The by-election was held on the same day as the 2009 European and local elections. A by-election was held in the Dublin...
. She was re-elected at the 2011 general election.
She described a proposal for political gender quota legislation as "tokenistic" and that women were able to get themselves nominated for election.
O'Sullivan was a supporter of David Norris in his bid to become President of Ireland
President of Ireland
The President of Ireland is the head of state of Ireland. The President is usually directly elected by the people for seven years, and can be elected for a maximum of two terms. The presidency is largely a ceremonial office, but the President does exercise certain limited powers with absolute...
, before he withdrew from the contest.