Kathy Sinnott
Encyclopedia
Kathy Sinnott is a disability rights
campaigner and a former politician. She represented the South constituency in Ireland
in the European Parliament
from 2004 to 2009.
She is secretary of the Hope Project, a charity that helps people with disabilities. Sinnott founded the Hope Project in 1996. She is mother of 9 children (3 daughters and 6 sons). In 2000, she took a court case to force the Irish government to provide a primary school education for her son Jamie who has multiple disabilities. In 2001, the High Court ruled that every person in Ireland had a constitutional right to primary education and it was based on need, not age. The government subsequently successfully appealed the case to the Supreme Court.
for the South constituency at the 2004 European Parliament election
. She campaigned on disability and education issues, euroscepticism
and social conservatism
.
She had stood previously at the 2002 general election
for a seat in the Cork South Central
constituency, and narrowly losing the fifth and final seat to John Dennehy
of Fianna Fáil
. In the election count, she was initially ahead by 3 votes but lost by 6 votes after two recounts. She was an unsuccessful candidate at the subsequent Senate
election in 2002 she had been nominated by 4 sitting Independent TDs , losing out by 3 votes to a Fine Geal Candidate. She required a high court judgement to allow her to run for the seanad on the Labour Panel.
She is a former co-chair of the European Parliament's Eurosceptic Independence/Democracy group. Sinnott was a member and Vice-President of the EUDemocrats
– Alliance for a Europe of Democracies.
On 8 June 2009 Sinnott lost her seat in the European Parliament. She received more than 30% fewer votes than in the 2004 European Parliament election.
In September 2009 her son Kevin drowned in a swimming accident in Georgia
. He was a final year philosophy student at the Southern Catholic College
in Dawsonville, Georgia
.
Disability rights movement
The disability rights movement is the movement to secure equal opportunities and equal rights for people with disabilities. The specific goals and demands of the movement are: accessibility and safety in transportation, architecture, and the physical environment, equal opportunities in independent...
campaigner and a former politician. She represented the South constituency in Ireland
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,...
in the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
from 2004 to 2009.
She is secretary of the Hope Project, a charity that helps people with disabilities. Sinnott founded the Hope Project in 1996. She is mother of 9 children (3 daughters and 6 sons). In 2000, she took a court case to force the Irish government to provide a primary school education for her son Jamie who has multiple disabilities. In 2001, the High Court ruled that every person in Ireland had a constitutional right to primary education and it was based on need, not age. The government subsequently successfully appealed the case to the Supreme Court.
Public office
She was elected as a Member of the European ParliamentMember of the European Parliament
A Member of the European Parliament is a person who has been elected to the European Parliament. The name of MEPs differ in different languages, with terms such as europarliamentarian or eurodeputy being common in Romance language-speaking areas.When the European Parliament was first established,...
for the South constituency at the 2004 European Parliament election
European Parliament election, 2004 (Ireland)
The 2004 European Parliament election in Ireland was the Irish component of the 2004 European Parliament election. The voting was held on Friday, 11 June 2004. The election coincided with the 2004 local elections...
. She campaigned on disability and education issues, euroscepticism
Euroscepticism
Euroscepticism is a general term used to describe criticism of the European Union , and opposition to the process of European integration, existing throughout the political spectrum. Traditionally, the main source of euroscepticism has been the notion that integration weakens the nation state...
and social conservatism
Social conservatism
Social Conservatism is primarily a political, and usually morally influenced, ideology that focuses on the preservation of what are seen as traditional values. Social conservatism is a form of authoritarianism often associated with the position that the federal government should have a greater role...
.
She had stood previously 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...
for a seat in the Cork South Central
Cork South Central (Dáil Éireann constituency)
Cork South–Central is a parliamentary constituency represented in Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament or Oireachtas. The constituency elects 5 deputies...
constituency, and narrowly losing the fifth and final seat to John Dennehy
John Dennehy
John Dennehy is a former Irish Fianna Fáil politician. He was a Teachta Dála for the Cork South Central constituency.He was educated at Sharman Crawford Technical Institute and Cork College of Commerce...
of 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...
. In the election count, she was initially ahead by 3 votes but lost by 6 votes after two recounts. She was an unsuccessful candidate at the subsequent Senate
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...
election in 2002 she had been nominated by 4 sitting Independent TDs , losing out by 3 votes to a Fine Geal Candidate. She required a high court judgement to allow her to run for the seanad on the Labour Panel.
She is a former co-chair of the European Parliament's Eurosceptic Independence/Democracy group. Sinnott was a member and Vice-President of the EUDemocrats
EUDemocrats
The EUDemocrats – Alliance for a Europe of Democracies – is a eurorealist alliance of parties and movements from 15 European countries. It operates as a transnational party at a European level , according to Regulation No 2004/2003...
– Alliance for a Europe of Democracies.
On 8 June 2009 Sinnott lost her seat in the European Parliament. She received more than 30% fewer votes than in the 2004 European Parliament election.
In September 2009 her son Kevin drowned in a swimming accident in Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
. He was a final year philosophy student at the Southern Catholic College
Southern Catholic College
Southern Catholic College was a private, co-educational Roman Catholic four-year college located in Dawsonville, Georgia. It was founded in 2000 by Thomas J. Clements and the first classes were held in the fall of 2005 and its last classes were held in April of 2010...
in Dawsonville, Georgia
Dawsonville, Georgia
Dawsonville is a city in Dawson County, Georgia, United States. The population was 619 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Dawson County...
.