Liz O'Donnell
Encyclopedia
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
(TD) from 1992 to 2007.
O'Donnell was born in Dublin in 1956. She was educated at the Salesian Convent, Limerick
and Trinity College, Dublin
where she was an honours graduate of the Law School. Prior to embarking on a political career, O'Donnell was a Vice Chair of the Women's Political Association and a delegate to the National Women's Council. In 1991, she was elected to Dublin City Council
for the Progressive Democrats
for the Rathmines
Local Electoral Area
. She served on the council until 1994.
At the 1992 general election
, she was elected to Dáil Éireann
for the Progressive Democrats, representing Dublin South. She was opposition spokesperson on Health and Social Welfare from 1992 to 1993. She was Party Whip and Justice spokesperson from 1993 to 1997. Following her return to the 28th Dáil at the 1997 general election
, she negotiated the Programme for the Coalition Government between Fianna Fáil
and the Progressive Democrats, along with her then party colleague Minister of State
Bobby Molloy
.
O'Donnell was appointed Minister of State
at the Department of Foreign Affairs
with responsibility for Overseas Development Assistance and Human Rights. She represented the Irish Government at the multi-party talks at Stormont
, which culminated in the Belfast Agreement
in 1998. She was also a member of the Cabinet Sub-Committee on Asylum Immigration and related matters Following the resignation of Bobby Molloy she was promoted to Cabinet as Minister of State to the Government in April 2002.
She was re-elected to the 29th Dáil at the 2002 general election
as TD for Dublin South. In December 2002, she was awarded the Doolin Memorial Medal for her contribution to Overseas Development and Human Rights. She lost her seat at the 2007 general election.
In September 2007, O'Donnell revealed that she regularly did radio interviews in her underwear while she was a serving politician.
Since leaving public office, she has worked in the media and in public affairs consultancy.
O'Donnell is married and has 2 children.
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...
politician. She was the Deputy Leader of the Progressive Democrats, and represented Dublin South
Dublin South (Dáil Éireann constituency)
Dublin South is a parliamentary constituency represented in Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament or Oireachtas. The constituency elects 5 deputies...
as a 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) from 1992 to 2007.
O'Donnell was born in Dublin in 1956. She was educated at the Salesian Convent, Limerick
Limerick
Limerick is the third largest city in the Republic of Ireland, and the principal city of County Limerick and Ireland's Mid-West Region. It is the fifth most populous city in all of Ireland. When taking the extra-municipal suburbs into account, Limerick is the third largest conurbation in the...
and 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...
where she was an honours graduate of the Law School. Prior to embarking on a political career, O'Donnell was a Vice Chair of the Women's Political Association and a delegate to the National Women's Council. In 1991, she was elected to Dublin City Council
Dublin City Council
Dublin City Council is the local authority for the city of Dublin in Ireland. It has 52 members and is the largest local authority in Ireland. Until 2001, it was known as Dublin Corporation.-Legal status:...
for 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...
for the Rathmines
Rathmines
Rathmines is a suburb on the southside of Dublin, about 3 kilometres south of the city centre. It effectively begins at the south side of the Grand Canal and stretches along the Rathmines Road as far as Rathgar to the south, Ranelagh to the east and Harold's Cross to the west.Rathmines has...
Local Electoral Area
Local Electoral Areas
A local electoral area is a sub-division of a county and city-level local government used for electoral purposes in Ireland. Each local electoral area consists of a number of lower-level units known as district electoral divisions...
. She served on the council until 1994.
At the 1992 general election
Irish general election, 1992
The Irish general election of 1992 was held on Wednesday, 25 November 1992, almost three weeks after the dissolution of the Dáil on 5 November. However, after difficulties in forming a government the newly elected 166 members of the 27th Dáil did not assemble at Leinster House until 4 January 1993...
, 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 Progressive Democrats, representing Dublin South. She was opposition spokesperson on Health and Social Welfare from 1992 to 1993. She was Party Whip and Justice spokesperson from 1993 to 1997. Following her return to the 28th Dáil at the 1997 general election
Irish general election, 1997
The Irish general election of 1997 was held on Friday, 6 June 1997. The 166 newly elected members of the 28th Dáil assembled on 26 June 1997 when a new Taoiseach and government were appointed....
, she negotiated the Programme for the Coalition Government between 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...
and the Progressive Democrats, along with her then party colleague Minister of State
Minister of State (Ireland)
A Minister of State in Ireland is of non-Cabinet rank, attached to one or more Departments of State of the Government of Ireland....
Bobby Molloy
Bobby Molloy
Robert "Bobby" Molloy is an Irish former Fianna Fáil and Progressive Democrats politician, who served in a wide number of Cabinet poistions, most notably as Minister for Local Government, Minister for Defence and Minister for Energy....
.
O'Donnell was appointed Minister of State
Minister of State (Ireland)
A Minister of State in Ireland is of non-Cabinet rank, attached to one or more Departments of State of the Government of Ireland....
at the Department of Foreign Affairs
Minister for Foreign Affairs (Ireland)
The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade is the senior minister at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in the Government of Ireland. Its headquarters are at Iveagh House, on St Stephen's Green in Dublin; "Iveagh House" is often used as a metonym for the department as a whole.The current...
with responsibility for Overseas Development Assistance and Human Rights. She represented the Irish Government at the multi-party talks at Stormont
Parliament Buildings (Northern Ireland)
The Parliament Buildings, known as Stormont because of its location in the Stormont area of Belfast is the seat of the Northern Ireland Assembly and the Northern Ireland Executive...
, which culminated in the Belfast Agreement
Belfast Agreement
The Good Friday Agreement or Belfast Agreement , sometimes called the Stormont Agreement, was a major political development in the Northern Ireland peace process...
in 1998. She was also a member of the Cabinet Sub-Committee on Asylum Immigration and related matters Following the resignation of Bobby Molloy she was promoted to Cabinet as Minister of State to the Government in April 2002.
She was re-elected to the 29th Dáil 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...
as TD for Dublin South. In December 2002, she was awarded the Doolin Memorial Medal for her contribution to Overseas Development and Human Rights. She lost her seat at the 2007 general election.
In September 2007, O'Donnell revealed that she regularly did radio interviews in her underwear while she was a serving politician.
Since leaving public office, she has worked in the media and in public affairs consultancy.
O'Donnell is married and has 2 children.