Fiona O'Malley
Encyclopedia
Fiona O'Malley is a former Irish
politician. She was a Progressive Democrats
Teachta Dála
(TD) for the Dún Laoghaire constituency
from 2002 until 2007, and was a member of Seanad Éireann
from 2007 to 2011.
, was a former Fianna Fáil
Cabinet Minister and founder of the Progressive Democrats. Her granduncle was Donogh O'Malley, a Fianna Fáil minister in the 1960s. She is also a cousin of another former Progressive Democrats TD, Tim O'Malley
.
A graduate of Trinity College, Dublin
and City University London, she worked as an Arts Administrator before entering politics and as a Personal assistant
to Liz O'Donnell
from 1998–2000. Her first political position was as elected member of the Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council
from 1999. She was elected to Dáil Éireann
for the Dún Laoghaire constituency at the 2002 general election
. She resigned her council seat in 2003 when the dual mandate
was no longer allowed.
She was a member of the Oireachtas
Committee on Arts, Sports and Tourism and the Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children. She was also a member of the Dáil All-Party group concerned with matters of sexual and reproductive health. She has travelled to South America
and South Africa
with the United Nations Population Fund
and has spoken extensively of the need for a clear safe sex
message both in Ireland and in the developing world.
She lost her Dáil seat at the 2007 general election, but was nominated by the Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern
to the Seanad in August 2007. She was narrowly defeated in the race to become the leader of the Progressive Democrats by Ciarán Cannon
.
She was an Independent
politician from the dissolution of the Progressive Democrats
in 2009. She was an independent candidate at the 2011 Seanad election for the University of Dublin constituency but was not elected.
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,...
politician. She was a Progressive Democrats
Progressive Democrats
The Progressive Democrats , commonly known as the PDs, was a pro-free market liberal political party in the Republic of Ireland.Launched on 21 December 1985 by Desmond O'Malley and other politicians who had split from Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, the Progressive Democrats took liberal positions on...
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 Dún Laoghaire constituency
Dún Laoghaire (Dáil Éireann constituency)
Dún Laoghaire is a parliamentary constituency represented in Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament or Oireachtas. The constituency elects 4 deputies...
from 2002 until 2007, and was a member of Seanad Éireann
Seanad Éireann
Seanad Éireann is the upper house of the Oireachtas , which also comprises the President of Ireland and Dáil Éireann . It is commonly called the Seanad or Senate and its members Senators or Seanadóirí . Unlike Dáil Éireann, it is not directly elected but consists of a mixture of members chosen by...
from 2007 to 2011.
Career
O'Malley comes from a political family. Her father, Desmond O'MalleyDesmond O'Malley
Desmond Joseph "Des" O'Malley is a former Irish politician.Born in Limerick, O'Malley was raised in a local political dynasty that had a strong association with Fianna Fáil. Elected to Dáil Éireann in 1968, he quickly became a trusted confidante of Taoiseach Jack Lynch...
, was a former Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party , more commonly known as Fianna Fáil is a centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland, founded on 23 March 1926. Fianna Fáil's name is traditionally translated into English as Soldiers of Destiny, although a more accurate rendition would be Warriors of Fál...
Cabinet Minister and founder of the Progressive Democrats. Her granduncle was Donogh O'Malley, a Fianna Fáil minister in the 1960s. She is also a cousin of another former Progressive Democrats TD, Tim O'Malley
Tim O'Malley
Tim O'Malley is a former Irish Progressive Democrats politician. He was a Teachta Dála for the Limerick East constituency and was Minister of State with special responsibility for Mental Health at the Department of Health and Children....
.
A graduate of Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin , formally known as the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, was founded in 1592 by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I as the "mother of a university", Extracts from Letters Patent of Elizabeth I, 1592: "...we...found and...
and City University London, she worked as an Arts Administrator before entering politics and as a Personal assistant
Personal assistant
A personal assistant or personal aide is someone who assists in daily business or personal tasks. It is common in design to have a PDA, or personal design assistant....
to Liz O'Donnell
Liz O'Donnell
Liz O'Donnell is a former Irish Progressive Democrats politician. She was the Deputy Leader of the Progressive Democrats, and represented Dublin South as a Teachta Dála from 1992 to 2007....
from 1998–2000. Her first political position was as elected member of the Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council
Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council
Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council is the local authority for the county of Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown in Ireland. It is one of three local authorities that comprised the former Dublin County Council before its abolition and one of four councils in the Dublin Region. It serves a population of...
from 1999. She was 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...
for the Dún Laoghaire constituency at the 2002 general election
Irish general election, 2002
The Irish general election of 2002 was held on Friday, 17 May 2002 just over three weeks after the dissolution of the 28th Dáil on Thursday 25 April by President Mary McAleese, at the request of the Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern...
. She resigned her council seat in 2003 when the dual mandate
Dual mandate
A dual mandate is the practice in which elected officials served in more than one elected or other public position simultaneously. This practice is known as double jobbing in Britain and distinguished from double dipping in the United States For example, suppose a...
was no longer allowed.
She was a member of the Oireachtas
Oireachtas
The Oireachtas , sometimes referred to as Oireachtas Éireann, is the "national parliament" or legislature of Ireland. The Oireachtas consists of:*The President of Ireland*The two Houses of the Oireachtas :**Dáil Éireann...
Committee on Arts, Sports and Tourism and the Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children. She was also a member of the Dáil All-Party group concerned with matters of sexual and reproductive health. She has travelled to South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
and South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
with the United Nations Population Fund
United Nations Population Fund
The United Nations Population Fund is a UN organization. The work of the UNFPA involves promotion of the right of every woman, man and child to enjoy a life of health and equal opportunity. This is done through major national and demographic surveys and with population censuses...
and has spoken extensively of the need for a clear safe sex
Safe sex
Safe sex is sexual activity engaged in by people who have taken precautions to protect themselves against sexually transmitted diseases such as AIDS. It is also referred to as safer sex or protected sex, while unsafe or unprotected sex is sexual activity engaged in without precautions...
message both in Ireland and in the developing world.
She lost her Dáil seat at the 2007 general election, but was nominated by the Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern
Bertie Ahern
Patrick Bartholomew "Bertie" Ahern is a former Irish politician who served as Taoiseach of Ireland from 26 June 1997 to 7 May 2008....
to the Seanad in August 2007. She was narrowly defeated in the race to become the leader of the Progressive Democrats by Ciarán Cannon
Ciarán Cannon
Ciarán Cannon is an Irish politician and the current Minister of State for Training and Skills. He is a Fine Gael Teachta Dála for Galway East since the 2011 general election. He is a former leader of the Progressive Democrats party.Before entering politics he was CEO and secretary of IHCPT –...
.
She was an 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 from the dissolution of the Progressive Democrats
Progressive Democrats
The Progressive Democrats , commonly known as the PDs, was a pro-free market liberal political party in the Republic of Ireland.Launched on 21 December 1985 by Desmond O'Malley and other politicians who had split from Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, the Progressive Democrats took liberal positions on...
in 2009. She was an independent candidate at the 2011 Seanad election for the University of Dublin constituency but was not elected.