Margaret Cox (born 24 September 1963) is a former Irish politician and

Senator A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...

Electoral history

She entered politics having been co-opted onto the

Galway City Council Galway City Council ( ga, Comhairle Cathrach na Gaillimhe) is the authority responsible for local government in the city of Galway, Ireland. As a city council, it is governed by the Local Government Act 2001. The council is responsible for hou ...

in 1995, following the death of her father Tom Cox. At the 1997 general election she was an unsuccessful

Fianna Fáil Fianna Fáil (, ; meaning 'Soldiers of Destiny' or 'Warriors of Fál'), officially Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party ( ga, audio=ga-Fianna Fáil.ogg, Fianna Fáil – An Páirtí Poblachtánach), is a conservative and Christian- ...

candidate for

Dáil Éireann Dáil Éireann ( , ; ) is the lower house, and principal chamber, of the Oireachtas (Irish legislature), which also includes the President of Ireland and Seanad Éireann (the upper house).Article 15.1.2º of the Constitution of Ireland read ...

for Galway West, but was then elected to the 21st Seanad by the

Industrial and Commercial Panel The Industrial and Commercial Panel ( ga, An Rolla Tionscail Agus Tráchtála) is one of five vocational panels which together elect 43 of the 60 members of Seanad Éireann, the upper house of the Oireachtas (the legislature of Ireland). The Ind ...

. At the 1999 local elections, she was elected to

, topping the poll in her electoral area. Cox was unsuccessful again in Galway West at the 2002 general election, her share of the first-preference vote having increased only marginally. However, the Industrial and Commercial Panel returned her to the 22nd Seanad. After the abolition of the

dual mandate A dual mandate is the practice in which elected officials serve in more than one elected or other public position simultaneously. This practice is sometimes known as double jobbing in Britain and ''cumul des mandats'' in France; not to be confused ...

, she did not contest the 2004 local elections. Her brother Tom Cox stood for election to Galway City Council in her place, but was narrowly beaten by the

Green Party A green party is a formally organized political party based on the principles of green politics, such as social justice, environmentalism and nonviolence. Greens believe that these issues are inherently related to one another as a foundation ...

candidate, Niall Ó Brolcháin.

Political career

In the 21st Seanad (1997–2002), Cox was government spokesperson in the Seanad on Enterprise, Trade and Employment. In the 22nd Seanad,

Taoiseach The Taoiseach is the head of government, or prime minister, of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. The office is appointed by the president of Ireland upon the nomination of Dáil Éireann (the lower house of the Oireachtas, Ireland's national legisl ...

Bertie Ahern Bartholomew Patrick "Bertie" Ahern (born 12 September 1951) is an Irish former Fianna Fáil politician who served as Taoiseach from 1997 to 2008, Leader of Fianna Fáil from 1994 to 2008, Leader of the Opposition from 1994 to 1997, Tánaiste a ...

appointed her as government spokesperson on Social, Community and Family Affairs. She did not go forward for selection at the Fianna Fáil convention for Galway West for the 2007 general election and resigned from the party in April 2007, citing dissatisfaction with Government delivery on its promises for Galway and the west of Ireland. She unsuccessfully contested the 2007 general election as an independent and announced she would not be seeking re-election to Seanad Éireann.

References

1963 births Living people Fianna Fáil senators Independent members of Seanad Éireann Members of the 21st Seanad Members of the 22nd Seanad 20th-century women members of Seanad Éireann 21st-century women members of Seanad Éireann Local councillors in Galway (city) Politicians from County Galway {{Ireland-senator-stub