biography

I am the Fine Gael TD for the Dún Laoghaire Constituency, elected in February 2020. 

Prior to my appointment as Minister of State, I was the Vice Chair of the Fine Gael Parliamentary Party and Spokesperson for Equality. I was also Vice Chair of the Justice Committee as well as being a member of the Public Accounts Committee, the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement Committee, the Gender Equality Committee and the Autism Committee. I was also a member of the Special Dáil Committee on Covid prior to it’s disbandment into sectoral Committees.

Previously I was a Councillor for the Killiney-Shankill ward, elected in May 2019.  

Since being elected as a TD, I have continued to work for my constituents at a national level, drawing on my decade of experience working in Government on policy and legislation.

My vision for the future of Ireland is to continue to build on our strong economy, maintain full employment, with a particular focus on youth employment, at the centre of Europe and a compassionate country that supports its people and equality for all. 

Work & Experience

• Barrister and former solicitor.

• Author of a legal and political text book on Irish political and judicial institutions.

• Completed a national study of young people in the criminal justice system.

• Senior advisor to different Government Departments.

• Legal advisor to Enda Kenny, former Taoiseach of Ireland.

• The 2012 Children’s Referendum.

• The Children and Family Relationships Act.

• The Land Development Agency.

• The National Planning Framework 2040.

• Women for Election

Working within the Department for Housing, Planning and Local Government as a Special Advisor, I worked on long term strategic state planning and the National Planning Framework to deliver environmentally responsible and sustainable development of cities and towns. I was integral to the establishment of the Land Development Agency. This was designed to make the Irish state a counter-cyclical and competitive force in dampening long-term land price speculation.

I was appointed as Special Advisor to the Minister for Justice and Equality in 2013. Here, I worked on legislation to make all families equal, to give grandparents and unmarried parents stronger legal rights and to protect the child in court proceedings. I also worked on the reform of the legal profession and family reunification of Syrian refugees.

Following the 2011 General Election, I was appointed Special advisor to Minister for Children and Youth Affairs Frances Fitzgerald TD. In this role, I worked on legislation which included the Children’s Referendum and moving the responsibility for children in care from the HSE to Tusla, as well as  overhauling the legal frameworks on adoption and adoption rights. I also worked on removing children from the unsuitable adult prison, St. Patrick’s Institution, to more child friendly facilities.

In 2008, following appointment as Legal Advisor in the Office of the Leader of Fine Gael, I worked on equality and inclusion, victim’s rights in the criminal justice system and reform of the childcare system.

On finishing college, I was employed by the Association for Criminal Justice Research and Development to do a national study of the issues facing children in the Children Court. This study highlighted the long term and often inter-generational disadvantages of individuals before the Children Court. I was also an advocate for better conditions for prisoners in Mountjoy.

Throughout this time, I have been a member of Women for Election, a not-for-profit organisation that encourages and supports women in Ireland to run for politics. I have fundraised for them, as well as training candidates and policy makers, so as to help increase the number of women in politics.