Pauline O'Reilly (born 1974/1975) is an Irish Green Party politician who has served as a Senator for the Labour Panel since April 2020[2][3] and chair of the Green Party since December 2021.
Pauline O'Reilly | |
---|---|
![]() O'Reilly in 2020 | |
Senator | |
Assumed office 29 June 2020 | |
Chair of the Green Party | |
Assumed office 16 December 2021 | |
Personal details | |
Born | 1974 or 1975 (age 49–50)[1] Galway, Ireland |
Political party | Green Party |
Children | 2 |
Alma mater | |
Early life and education
editO'Reilly is a qualified solicitor. She is chair of the Galway Steiner National School.
Political career
editO'Reilly was elected to Galway City Council at the 2019 local elections.[4]
O'Reilly stood unsuccessfully in Galway West in the 2020 general election. She won 6% of first preference votes and finished ninth in the 5 seater constituency.[5][6]
She was elected to Seanad Éireann in 2020 as a Senator for the Labour Panel.[7] Niall Murphy was co-opted to O'Reilly's seat on Galway City Council following her election to the Seanad. She is the Green Party Spokesperson for Education and Higher Education.[8] She is the Leader of the Green Party in the Seanad. [9]
On 24 March 2021, O'Reilly was one of three Green Party senators to table a motion of no confidence against party Cathaoirleach Hazel Chu, after Chu announced her candidacy in a Seanad bye-election as an independent, with O'Reilly stating she does not believe it's appropriate "to run as an Independent candidate and also to be a chair of a party that’s in government and is supporting Government candidates".[10]
On 16 December 2021, O'Reilly was elected as Cathaoirleach (Chair) of the Irish Green Party, succeeding Chu, following an election against Councillor Collette Finn and Dr. Bláithín Gallagher.[11] O'Reilly was re-elected to the position of party chair on 26 November 2023.[12]
O'Reilly was the Green Party's candidate for the Midlands–North-West constituency at the 2024 European Parliament election.[12] O'Reilly received 13,710 (2.0%) first preference votes but was not elected.[13]
Personal life
editO'Reilly has two children and practices unschooling with them.[14][15] Her husband Conor works from home.[16]
References
edit- ^ "Green Party Candidate Pauline O'Reilly". 2020. Archived from the original on 9 June 2023.
- ^ "Pauline O'Reilly". Oireachtas Members Database. Retrieved 21 April 2020.
- ^ McMorrow, Conor (4 May 2019). "Why the Local Elections matter". RTÉ News. Retrieved 1 April 2020.
- ^ "O'Reilly sets out priorities for Election 2020 campaign". advertiser.ie. Retrieved 1 April 2020.
- ^ "Pauline O'Reilly to run for Greens in Galway West". advertiser.ie. Retrieved 1 April 2020.
- ^ "Party unstuck by a green wave of a different hue". Connacht Tribune. Retrieved 1 April 2020.
- ^ "Seanad elections: Traveller candidate narrowly loses out on election". irishtimes.com. Retrieved 1 April 2020.
- ^ "The new Green councillors you have never heard of before". irishtimes.com. Retrieved 1 April 2020.
- ^ "Green Party Spokespeople". Green Party. 30 April 2020. Retrieved 4 August 2020.
- ^ McQuinn, Cormac (25 March 2021). "Eamon Ryan 'tells Greens' no pact on supporting Coalition candidates for Seanad". The Irish Times. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
- ^ Sassone, Erika (16 December 2021). "Galway Senator elected Green Party chair and hopes to double party council seats". Galway Beo. Retrieved 16 January 2024.
- ^ a b "Senator Pauline O'Reilly re-elected as Green Party Cathaoirleach". greenparty.ie. Green Party (Ireland). 26 November 2023. Retrieved 16 January 2024.
- ^ "European Elections: Midlands North-West". RTÉ News. Retrieved 15 June 2024.
- ^ "Pauline O'Reilly". Green Party. Retrieved 1 April 2020.
- ^ "Unschooling in Galway – one family on its experience of teaching at home". irishtimes.com. Retrieved 1 April 2020.
- ^ "Books, maps and lots of Lego: how to furnish your home school". irishtimes.com. Retrieved 1 April 2020.