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Pauline O'Reilly is an Irish
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 ...
politician who has served as a
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 ...
for the
Labour Panel The Labour Panel ( ga, An Rolla Oibreachais) 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 Labour Panel elects eleven senators. ...
since April 2020 and Cathaoirleach of 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 ...
since December 2021.


Early life and education

O'Reilly is a qualified
solicitor A solicitor is a legal practitioner who traditionally deals with most of the legal matters in some jurisdictions. A person must have legally-defined qualifications, which vary from one jurisdiction to another, to be described as a solicitor and ...
. She is chairwoman of the Galway Steiner National School.


Political career

O'Reilly was elected to
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 ...
at the 2019 local elections. O'Reilly stood unsuccessfully in Galway West in the 2020 general election. She won 6% of first preference votes and finished ninth in the 5 seater constituency. She was elected to
Seanad Éireann Seanad Éireann (, ; "Senate of Ireland") is the upper house of the Oireachtas (the Irish legislature), which also comprises the President of Ireland and Dáil Éireann (the lower house). It is commonly called the Seanad or Senate and its memb ...
in 2020 as a Senator for the
Labour Panel The Labour Panel ( ga, An Rolla Oibreachais) 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 Labour Panel elects eleven senators. ...
. Niall Murphy was co-opted to O'Reilly's seat on Galway City Council following her election to the Seanad. She is 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 ...
Spokesperson for Education and Higher Education. She is the Leader of the Green Party in the Seanad. On 24 March 2021, O'Reilly was one of three Green Party senators to table a
motion of no confidence A motion of no confidence, also variously called a vote of no confidence, no-confidence motion, motion of confidence, or vote of confidence, is a statement or vote about whether a person in a position of responsibility like in government or mana ...
against party Cathaoirleach
Hazel Chu Hazel Chu (born 3 November 1980) is an Irish Green Party politician who has been a member of Dublin City Council since May 2019. She was elected Cathaoirleach (Chairperson) of the Irish Green Party in December 2019, and was succeeded by Senator ...
, after Chu announced her candidacy in a Seanad
bye-election A by-election, also known as a special election in the United States and the Philippines, a bye-election in Republic of Ireland, Ireland, a bypoll in India, or a Zimni election (Urdu: ضمنی انتخاب, supplementary election) in Pakistan, is ...
as an
independent Independent or Independents may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups * Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in the New Hope, Pennsylvania, area of the United States during the early 1930s * Independ ...
, with O'Reilly stating she does not believe it's appropriate "to run as an Independent candidate and also to be a chair of a party that’s in government and is supporting Government candidates". In December 2021, O'Reilly was elected as Cathaoirleach (Chairperson) of the Irish
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 ...
, succeeding Chu, following an election against Councillor Collette Finn and Dr. Bláithín Gallagher.


Personal life

O'Reilly has two children and practises
unschooling Unschooling is an informal learning that advocates learner-chosen activities as a primary means for learning. Unschoolers learn through their natural life experiences including play, household responsibilities, personal interests and curiosity, ...
with them. Her husband Conor works from home.


References


External links


Pauline O'Reilly's page on the Green Party website
{{DEFAULTSORT:OReilly, Pauline Year of birth missing (living people) Place of birth missing (living people) Living people Green Party (Ireland) senators Local councillors in Galway (city) Politicians from County Galway Members of the 26th Seanad 21st-century women members of Seanad Éireann