Mary Mitchell O'Connor
Mitchell O'Connor in 2011
Minister of State
2017–2020Education and Skills
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
Milltown, County Galway, Ireland
Political partyFine Gael
Other political
affiliations		Progressive Democrats
(2004–2007)
Spouse
Joe Mitchell
​
​
(m. 1984; div. 2004)​
Children2
Alma mater
Websitemarymitchelloconnor.ie

Mary Mitchell O'Connor (born 10 June 1959) is an Irish former Fine Gael politician who served as a Minister of State 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. 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 2008–2009, 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]

In August 2010, she called for a reform of Dáil Éireann, so that women can work efficiently there.[12] She campaigned for the eviction of men who are perpetrators of domestic violence.[13]

Dáil Éireann: 2011–2020

In December 2010, she was selected as a Fine Gael candidate for the Dún Laoghaire constituency.[14]

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.[15]

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 both were elected.[16] After a delay due to talks on government formation, Mitchell O'Connor 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.[17]

After Leo Varadkar was appointed Taoiseach in June 2017, she was not re-appointed to cabinet, but was instead appointed by the government as Minister of State at the Department of Education and Skills with responsibility for Higher Education.[18] This was a "super junior" role which allowEd her attend cabinet meetings, without a vote.[19] 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.[20] 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.[17]

In the 2020 general election, O'Connor stood for re-election but lost her seat.[21] The Irish Times reported her defeat as "the big surprise" of the Dún Laoghaire election.[22]

Campaigns and policies

In July 2011, Mitchell O'Connor turned Leinster House pink in aid of breast cancer.[23] Mitchell O'Connor is pro-choice and supported repealing the Eighth Amendment.[24]

References

  1. ↑ "Mary Mitchell O'Connor". Oireachtas Members Database. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. 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. Archived from the original on 23 October 2012. Retrieved 27 February 2011.
  4. ↑ "Profile: Mary Mitchell-O'Connor". The Irish Times. 29 February 2016. Archived from the original on 4 July 2016. Retrieved 7 June 2018.
  5. ↑ "Mary Mitchell O'Connor". Sunday Independent. 24 February 2013. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 8 June 2018 – via PressReader.
  6. ↑ "Mary Mitchell O'Connor partied in Coppers". Independent.ie. 15 June 2017. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 8 June 2018.
  7. ↑ "Mary Mitchell O'Connor". ElectionsIreland.org. Archived from the original on 17 October 2011. Retrieved 11 December 2011.
  8. ↑ "Minutes of Meeting of County Council". Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council. 13 March 2006. Archived from the original on 27 September 2011. 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. Archived from the original on 11 December 2007. Retrieved 11 December 2007.
  10. ↑ "Enda Kenny Welcomes Former PD Cllr Mary Mitchell O'Connor to Fine Gael Party". City Local. Archived from the original on 21 July 2011. Retrieved 11 December 2007.
  11. 1 2 "Mary Mitchell O'Connor". Electoral candidates. Archived from the original on 16 November 2011. Retrieved 11 December 2011.
  12. ↑ "Mum Olwyn is right to quit the Dail, insists Fox". Evening Herald. Archived from the original on 21 July 2011. Retrieved 31 August 2010.
  13. ↑ "Council powerless to evict perpetrators of domestic violence". Dublin People. Archived from the original on 6 February 2011. Retrieved 28 January 2011.
  14. ↑ "Fine Gael urges Ross to contest election". The Irish Times. 13 January 2011. Archived from the original on 22 January 2011. Retrieved 13 February 2011.
  15. ↑ "Fine Gael and Labour briefed on economy". RTÉ News. 2 March 2011. Archived from the original on 4 March 2011. Retrieved 3 March 2011.
  16. ↑ O'Connor, Niall (8 June 2015). "Fine Gael TD Mary Mitchell O'Connor selected to represent party in Dun Laoghaire". Irish Independent. Archived from the original on 9 June 2015. Retrieved 12 June 2015.
  17. 1 2 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
  18. ↑ "Mary Mitchell O'Connor demoted in Leo Varadkar's Cabinet". The Irish Times. 14 June 2017. Archived from the original on 5 November 2018. Retrieved 8 June 2018.
  19. ↑ "Appointment of Taoiseach and Nomination of Members of Government – Dáil Éireann (32nd Dáil) – Vol. 953 No. 4". Houses of the Oireachtas. 14 June 2017. Archived from the original on 23 December 2020. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
  20. ↑ Kelly, Emma O (11 November 2018). "Government plans women-only senior academic posts". RTE.ie. Archived from the original on 11 November 2018. Retrieved 12 November 2018.
  21. ↑ "Election 2020: Dún Laoghaire". Irish Times. Dublin. 9 February 2020. Archived from the original on 5 June 2021. Retrieved 5 June 2021.
  22. ↑ Kelly, Olivia (9 February 2020). "Dún Laoghaire results: Green's Smyth 'overwhelmed' at securing seat". The Irish Times. Dublin. Archived from the original on 5 June 2021. Retrieved 5 June 2021.
  23. ↑ "Dáil turns pink for cancer awareness". RTÉ News. 15 July 2011. Archived from the original on 18 July 2011. Retrieved 16 July 2011.
  24. ↑ O'Connell, Hugh. "Fine Gael politicians are VERY divided on the 8th Amendment*". TheJournal.ie. Archived from the original on 13 November 2018. Retrieved 12 November 2018.
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