Preceded by New office Nationality Irish Spouse Seamus Shortall Constituency Dublin North–West Role Teachta Dala | Succeeded by Alex White Name Roisin Shortall Preceded by New office Political party Social Democrats Party Labour Party | |
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Born 25 April 1954 (age 69) ( 1954-04-25 ) Office Member of Dail Eireann since 1992 Education Dominican College, Eccles Street, Marino Institute of Education, University College Dublin | ||
Deputy roisin shortall speaking on fuel poverty
Róisín Shortall (born 25 April 1954) is an Irish politician, who is co-founder and joint-leader of the Social Democrats party. Initially a member of the Labour Party and a Teachta Dála (TD) representing them for the Dublin North-West constituency from November 1992, she resigned her membership in September 2012. She then sat in Dáil Éireann as an independent TD for a time until co-founding the Social Democrats, for whom she was re-elected to the Dáil at the 2016 general election. While in the Labour Party she was Minister of State for Primary Care from 2011 to 2012.
Contents
- Deputy roisin shortall speaking on fuel poverty
- Roisin shortall speaking on pensions levy
- Early life
- Dil ireann
- Social Democrats
- References
Roisin shortall speaking on pensions levy
Early life
Shortall was born and raised in Drumcondra, Dublin. She was educated at Dominican College, Eccles Street; University College Dublin, and Marino Institute of Education, Marino. She worked as a teacher for the deaf before seeking public office. She first held public office in 1991 when she was elected to Dublin City Council for the Drumcondra local electoral area.
Dáil Éireann
Shortall was first elected to Dáil Éireann at the 1992 general election, when the Labour Party won a record 33 seats. She retained her seat at the 1997, 2002, 2007 and the 2011 general elections. She is a former party spokesperson for Social and Family Affairs.
On 10 March 2011, she was appointed as Minister of State for Primary Care.
Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin tabled a motion of no confidence in her senior minister James Reilly on 3 September 2012 after yet more cuts in the health service. Shortall addressed the Dáil during this motion and did not indicate her support for him or mention his name once, though she did vote against the motion. She resigned as Minister of State for Primary Care on 26 September 2012, and also resigned the Parliamentary Labour Party whip.
Social Democrats
On 15 July 2015, Shortall launched the Social Democrats party along with former independent TDs Stephen Donnelly and Catherine Murphy. She was elected for that party at the 2016 general election.