Mary Mitchell O'Connor

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Mary Mitchell O'Connor
Mary Mitchell O'Connor 2011.jpg
Minister of State for Higher Education
In office
14 June 2017 – 27 June 2020
TaoiseachLeo Varadkar
Preceded byNew office
Succeeded byOffice abolished
Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation
In office
6 May 2016 – 14 June 2017
TaoiseachEnda Kenny
Preceded byRichard Bruton
Succeeded byFrances Fitzgerald
Teachta Dála
In office
February 2011 – February 2020
ConstituencyDún Laoghaire
Personal details
Born
Mary O'Connor

(1959-06-10) 10 June 1959 (age 62)
Milltown, County Galway, Ireland
NationalityIrish
Political partyFine Gael
Other political
affiliations		Progressive Democrats
(2004–2007)
Spouse(s)
Joe Mitchell
​
​
(m. 1984; div. 2004)​
Children2
Alma mater
Websitemarymitchelloconnor.ie

Mary Mitchell O'Connor (born 10 June 1959) is a former Irish Fine Gael politician who served as Minister of State for Higher Education from 2017 to 2020 and Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation from 2016 to 2017. She served as a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Dún Laoghaire constituency from 2011 and 2020.[1][2][3]

Early and personal life[]

Born Mary O'Connor in Milltown, County Galway. She graduated from Carysfort College and NUI, Maynooth, and worked as a teacher. She was appointed principal of Scoil Cholmcille, Skryne, County Meath. In 1999, she became school principal at The Harold School, Glasthule, a position she held until her election to the Dáil.

She lives in Cabinteely, Dublin. She is divorced and has two sons from her marriage.[4][5][6]

Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown County Council: 2004–2011[]

In 2004, as a Progressive Democrats candidate, she was elected to Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown County Council.[7] As a Councillor, she campaigned against the reintroduction of university fees, against the budget-related increase in pupil-teacher ratios. She also took part in the Sandycove Tidy Towns campaign.[citation needed]

In 2006, when the Maritime Museum closed, she called on the council to financially support it.[8]

In December 2007, she resigned from the Progressive Democrats and joined Fine Gael.[9] Welcoming her to the party, Enda Kenny said that it was "the first move by a Progressive Democrats public representative to join an alternative party since the general election". Mitchell O'Connor said that she "made a decision on how best to represent the people that elected me".[10] In 2008–09, she was Chairperson of Dún Laoghaire Area Committee for Transport, Economic Development and Planning.[11]

In June 2009, she was re-elected to Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council. She was the Chairperson of Dún Laoghaire Area Committee for Environment, Housing, Culture, Community Development and Amenities.[11] She has led campaigns to protect public amenities in Dún Laoghaire, including public access to the sea front, public transport, and she campaigned to prevent the acquisition of Dún Laoghaire baths by private companies.[citation needed] In 2010, she led the Save the Sandycove Green Campaign against adding more parking spaces to Sandycove Green.[citation needed]

Dáil Éireann: 2011–2020[]

In December 2010, she was selected as a Fine Gael candidate for the Dún Laoghaire constituency.[12]

Mitchell O'Connor was elected as a TD for the Dún Laoghaire constituency at the 2011 general election. The newly elected Fine Gael TD surprised staff at Leinster House on 2 March 2011, by driving her campaign car across the pedestrian plinth in the Dáil car park and down the steps. The plinth has a ramp at one side to facilitate wheelchair access, but steps at the other end. The incident was witnessed by several journalists and was reported on by the RTÉ evening news.[13]

On 8 June 2015, Mitchell O'Connor was selected by Dún Laoghaire Fine Gael as their candidate to contest the next general election at a selection convention. She defeated councillors Barry Ward and Maria Bailey, daughter of John Bailey, although Bailey was later added to the ticket and was also elected.[14] She came through and, after a delay due to talks on government formation, was appointed Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation in May 2016. Faced with the challenges to Ireland posed by the 2016 British vote to leave the European Union,she set up a Brexit unit and boosted staffing in the Industrial Development Authority and Enterprise Ireland.[15]

After Leo Varadkar was appointed Taoiseach in June 2017, she was not re-appointed to cabinet, but was instead given a junior ministerial role as Minister of State for Higher Education.[16] This is a "super junior" role which allows her attend cabinet meetings, but does not have a vote. In the 2020 general election, O'Connor stood for re-election but lost her seat.[17] The Irish Times reported her defeat as "the big surprise" of the Dún Laoghaire election.[18]

Campaigns and policies[]

Mitchell O'Connor is an advocate for women's rights. In August 2010, she called for a reform of Dáil Éireann, so that women can work efficiently there.[19] She campaigned for the eviction of men who are perpetrators of domestic violence.[20]

In July 2011, Mitchell O'Connor turned Leinster House pink in aid of breast cancer.[21] Mitchell O'Connor is pro-choice and supported repealing the Eighth Amendment.[22]

In November 2018, Mitchell O'Connor announced female only academic posts to increase the proportion of senior female academics in universities and institutes of technology in Ireland.[23] There had never been a female university president in 400 years of higher education. She opened applications to the senior academic leadership initiative in June 2019.[15]

References[]

  1. ^ "Mary Mitchell O'Connor". Oireachtas Members Database. Retrieved 16 June 2011.
  2. ^ Collins, Stephen (2011). Nealon's Guide to the 31st Dáil and 24th Seanad. Dublin: Gill & Macmillan. p. 107. ISBN 9780717150595.
  3. ^ "Boyd-Barret takes last Dún Laoghaire seat". The Irish Times. 27 February 2011. Retrieved 27 February 2011.
  4. ^ "Profile: Mary Mitchell-O'Connor". The Irish Times. 29 February 2016.
  5. ^ "Mary Mitchell O'Connor". PressReader.com (Sunday Independent). 24 February 2013. Retrieved 8 June 2018.
  6. ^ "Mary Mitchell O'Connor partied in Coppers". Independent.ie. 15 June 2017. Retrieved 8 June 2018.
  7. ^ "Mary Mitchell O'Connor". ElectionsIreland.org. Retrieved 11 December 2011.
  8. ^ "Minutes of Meeting of County Council". Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council. 13 March 2006. Retrieved 14 February 2011.
  9. ^ Brennan, Michael (11 December 2007). "Defection of O'Connor to Fine Gael is a fresh blow for the PDs". Irish Independent. Retrieved 11 December 2007.
  10. ^ "Enda Kenny Welcomes Former PD Cllr Mary Mitchell O'Connor to Fine Gael Party". City Local. Retrieved 11 December 2007.
  11. ^ Jump up to: a b "Mary Mitchell O'Connor". Electoral candidates. Retrieved 11 December 2011.
  12. ^ "Fine Gael urges Ross to contest election". The Irish Times. 13 January 2011.
  13. ^ "Fine Gael and Labour briefed on economy". RTÉ News. 2 March 2011. Retrieved 3 March 2011.
  14. ^ O'Connor, Niall (8 June 2015). "Fine Gael TD Mary Mitchell O'Connor selected to represent party in Dun Laoghaire". Irish Independent.
  15. ^ Jump up to: a b McNamara,Maedhbh. A woman's place is in the Cabinet:women ministers in Irish governments 1919-2019. Drogheda, Sea Dog Books,2020.ISBN 978-1-913275-06-8
  16. ^ "Mary Mitchell O'Connor demoted in Leo Varadkar's Cabinet". The Irish Times. 14 June 2017.
  17. ^ "Election 2020: Dún Laoghaire". Irish Times. Dublin. 9 February 2020. Archived from the original on 5 June 2021. Retrieved 5 June 2021.
  18. ^ Kelly, Olivia (9 February 2020). "Dún Laoghaire results: Green's Smyth 'overwhelmed' at securing seat". Irish Times. Dublin. Archived from the original on 5 June 2021. Retrieved 5 June 2021.
  19. ^ "Mum Olwyn is right to quit the Dail, insists Fox". Evening Herald. Retrieved 31 August 2010.
  20. ^ "Council powerless to evict perpetrators of domestic violence". Dublin People. Archived from the original on 6 February 2011. Retrieved 28 January 2011.
  21. ^ "Dáil turns pink for cancer awareness". RTÉ News. 15 July 2011.
  22. ^ O'Connell, Hugh. "Fine Gael politicians are VERY divided on the 8th Amendment*". TheJournal.ie. Retrieved 12 November 2018.
  23. ^ Kelly, Emma O (11 November 2018). "Government plans women-only senior academic posts". RTE.ie. Retrieved 12 November 2018.

External links[]

Oireachtas
Preceded by
Barry Andrews
(Fianna Fáil) 		Fine Gael Teachta Dála for Dún Laoghaire
2011–2020 		Succeeded by
Jennifer Carroll MacNeill
(Fine Gael)
Political offices
Preceded by
Richard Bruton 		Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation
2016–2017 		Succeeded by
Frances Fitzgerald
Retrieved from ""