Maureen O'Sullivan (politician)

Maureen O'Sullivan
Teachta Dála
In office
June 2009 – February 2020
ConstituencyDublin Central
Personal details
Born (1951-03-10) 10 March 1951 (age 73)
East Wall, Dublin, Ireland
Political partyIndependent
Alma materUniversity College Dublin

Maureen O'Sullivan (born 10 March 1951) is an Irish former independent politician who served as a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Dublin Central constituency from 2009 to 2020.[1][2]

Early life

A native of Dublin's East Wall, 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.[3]

Political career

She was a member of Tony Gregory's local political organisation in the 1970s, first canvassing for him and later serving as his election agent. She was co-opted onto Dublin City Council for the North Inner City local electoral area from September 2008 to June 2009, after the retirement of Mick Rafferty.[2] After the death of Tony Gregory, she won the resulting by-election which was held on the same day as the local elections where she also won a seat on Dublin City Council, for the North Inner City local electoral area. Marie Metcalfe was co-opted to take the seat due to the dual mandate rule.[4]

O'Sullivan was re-elected to the Dáil at the 2011 general election. She joined the Dáil Technical group which gave independents and minor parties more speaking time in Dáil debates.[5]

She described a proposal for political gender quota legislation as "tokenistic" and that women were able to get themselves nominated for election.[6]

In December 2015, Maureen O'Sullivan and fellow independent TDs Clare Daly and Mick Wallace each put forward offers of a €5,000 surety for a 23-year-old man being prosecuted under terrorism legislation in the Special Criminal Court in Dublin charged with membership of an illegal dissident republican terrorist organisation.[7][8]

After the 2016 general election she unsuccessfully stood for election as Ceann Comhairle. She joined a technical group aligned with Independents 4 Change, while remaining outside the Independents 4 Change party.[9] O'Sullivan was criticised by the brother of late TD Tony Gregory, over an allegedly false claim made in her election literature.[10]

On 16 January 2020, O'Sullivan announced she would not be standing in the February 2020 general election.[11]

References

  1. ^ "Maureen O'Sullivan". Oireachtas Members Database. Archived from the original on 21 March 2019. Retrieved 8 September 2009.
  2. ^ a b "Maureen O'Sullivan". ElectionsIreland.org. Archived from the original on 10 June 2009. Retrieved 7 June 2009.
  3. ^ Marie O'Halloran (8 June 2009). "O'Sullivan dedicates her victory to Tony Gregory's legacy". The Irish Times. Archived from the original on 11 August 2021. Retrieved 8 June 2009.
  4. ^ "Council Meetings" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 27 December 2014. Retrieved 27 December 2014.
  5. ^ "TDs agree to form technical group". The Irish Times. 9 March 2011. Archived from the original on 23 October 2012. Retrieved 24 February 2012.
  6. ^ "Political gender quota legislation planned". RTÉ News. Archived from the original on 30 May 2011. Retrieved 28 May 2011.
  7. ^ Hickey, Daniel (17 December 2015). "Mick Wallace and Clare Daly among sureties on bail application for man arrested on IRA and explosive charges". Irish Independent. Archived from the original on 18 December 2015. Retrieved 18 December 2015.
  8. ^ Hosford, Paul. "Independent TD defends attempt to post bail for man accused of involvement in plot to bomb Prince Charles visit". TheJournal.ie. Archived from the original on 21 November 2017. Retrieved 28 November 2017.
  9. ^ Bardon, Sarah (1 June 2016). "Ministers told they must seek permission to miss Dáil votes over 'delicate voting situation'". The Irish Times. Archived from the original on 2 June 2016. Retrieved 1 June 2016.
  10. ^ "Brother of late Tony Gregory criticises TD Maureen O'Sullivan over election claim - Independent.ie". Independent.ie. Archived from the original on 17 October 2018. Retrieved 26 November 2017.
  11. ^ O'Connell, Hugh (16 January 2020). "Independent TD Maureen O'Sullivan announces she will not run for re-election". Irish Independent. Archived from the original on 17 January 2020. Retrieved 16 January 2020.