Catherine Connolly

Catherine Connolly (born 12 July 1957) is an Irish Independent politician who has served as the Leas-Cheann Comhairle of Dáil Éireann since July 2020. She has been a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Galway West constituency since 2016. She previously served as Chair of the Committee on the Irish Language, the Gaeltacht and the Islands from 2016 to 2020 and Mayor of Galway from 2004 to 2005.[1][2]

Catherine Connolly TD
Leas-Cheann Comhairle of Dáil Éireann
Incumbent
Assumed office 23 July 2020
Ceann Comhairle	Seán Ó Fearghaíl
Preceded by	Pat "the Cope" Gallagher
Chair of the Committee on the Irish Language, the Gaeltacht and the Islands
In office 4 April 2016 – 15 September 2020
Preceded by	New office
Succeeded by	Niamh Smyth
Mayor of Galway
In office 8 June 2004 – 10 June 2005
Preceded by	Terry O'Flaherty
Succeeded by	Brian Walsh
Teachta Dála
Incumbent
Assumed office February 2016
Constituency	Galway West
Personal details
Born	12 July 1957 Galway, Ireland
Nationality	Irish
Political party	Independent
Other political affiliations	Labour Party (until 2006)
Spouse(s)	Brian McEnery (m. 1992)
Children	2
Alma mater	Trinity College Dublin NUI Galway King's Inns
Website	catherineconnolly.ie

Connolly is a patron of the People's Movement.[3]

Political career

Galway City Council (1999-2016)

Connolly was first elected to Galway City Council in the city west local electoral area in June 1999 and then re-elected in the city south local electoral area in 2004.[4]

In the same year she was elected Mayor of Galway.

She resigned from the Labour Party in 2006, when she was denied her wish to run alongside now-President Michael D. Higgins in Galway West.[5] She contested the 2007 general election, polling just over 2,000 votes.[5]

Her sister, Colette, currently a Galway City Councillor,[6] was co-opted to replace her on Galway City Council when she was elected a TD.[7]

2011 election

She contested the 2011 general election again in Galway West,[8] where she lost out on the last seat to Fine Gael's Seán Kyne by only 17 votes. She sought a full recount,[9] which concluded after a total of four days of counting but did not change the outcome.[10]

TD - 32nd Dáil (2016-2020)

She was elected to the Dáil for the Galway West constituency at the 2016 general election.

She voted for Richard Boyd Barrett for Taoiseach, when the 32nd Dáil first met.[11]

At the 32nd Dáil's second meeting on 5 April 2016, she made her maiden speech in which she criticised the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government Alan Kelly's handling of Ireland's homelessness crisis.[12]

Connolly sat on the Public Accounts Committee and was Chair of the Committee on the Irish Language, the Gaeltacht and the Islands.

TD - 33rd Dáil (2020-present)

Catherine Connolly contested the 2020 general election. She was re-elected on the 12th count.[13]

Election as Leas-Cheann Comhairle of Dáil Éireann

Connolly was elected the Leas-Cheann Comhairle of Dáil Éireann on 23 July 2020, in a shock victory over Fine Gael candidate Fergus O'Dowd and is the first woman to hold the position.[14]

Mother and Baby Homes Report

In January 2021, Connolly criticised the Government for their handling of the Final Report of the Commission of Investigation (Mother and Baby Homes and certain related matters).

Referring to the Taoiseach, Tánaiste and Minister for Children, Equality, Disablity, Integration and Youth as the "three unwise men", she was critical of the Government's failure to provide survivors of mother and baby homes the report before it was released to the general public.[15]

This document I have to hand is what the report looks like. I hold it up to show survivors because they do not have it. It is the executive summary with the recommendations and one or two other things. Not a single survivor has it. I have it since yesterday, when it was put in the pigeonholes of Deputies.[15]

Personal life

Originally from Shantalla, Connolly has lived in the Claddagh since 1988, and is married with two children. A barrister by profession, she also previously worked as a Clinical Psychologist, with the Western Health Board in Ballinasloe, Galway and Connemara. She is a Gaeilgeoir (someone who speaks fluent Irish).[16]

References

1. "Catherine Connolly". Oireachtas Members Database. Retrieved 13 July 2019.
2. "Connolly and Pringle join I4C in April 2016". Oireachtas Éireann/Kildarestreet. Retrieved 21 April 2016.
3. Patrons The Peoples Movement, www.people.ie
4. "Catherine Connolly". ElectionsIreland.org. Retrieved 27 February 2011.
5. Siggins, Lorna. "FF vulnerable while Labour exposed as Higgins bows out". 3 February 2011. The Irish Times. "The real threat to Nolan will come from dissident Labourites, principally councillor and barrister Catherine Connolly, who resigned in protest in 2006 when she was denied her wish to run alongside Higgins. Connolly subsequently polled just over 2,000 votes in 2007."
6. "Galway City - Your Council". Galway City Council. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
7. "Colette Connolly - profile on WhoismyTD". Who is my TD?. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
8. "Galway West". Election 2011. RTÉ. Archived from the original on 28 February 2011. Retrieved 28 February 2011.
9. "Connolly granted full recount in Galway West". RTÉ. 1 March 2011. Retrieved 1 March 2011.
10. Lorna Siggins (2 March 2011). "FG's Kyne wins final seat in Galway". The Irish Times. Retrieved 2 March 2011.
11. "Nomination of Taoiseach: 10 Mar 2016". Dáil debates. KildareStreet.com. Retrieved 16 March 2016.
12. "Galway TD slams Minister Alan Kelly's arrogance over housing crisis". Connacht Tribune. 5 April 2016. Archived from the original on 6 April 2016. Retrieved 6 April 2016.
13. "General Election Results 2020 for Galway West". Raidió Teilifís Éireann. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
14. Thomas, Cónal (23 July 2020). "Independent TD Catherine Connolly elected Leas Cheann Comhairle in shock defeat for Government". TheJournal.ie. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
15. "Report of the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes: Statements - Dáil Éireann (33rd Dáil) – Wednesday, 13 Jan 2021". Houses of the Oireachtas. 13 January 2021. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
16. "Galway can lead the State in voting for change this month". Galway Advertiser. 11 February 2016.

External links

• Andrews, Kernan. "Connolly raises doubts over independence of crypto report", Galway Advertiser, 6 November 2008.