Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (born 24 May 1966) is an Irish

Fianna Fáil Fianna Fáil ( ; ; meaning "Soldiers of Destiny" or "Warriors of Fál"), officially Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party (), is a centre to centre-right political party in Ireland. Founded as a republican party in 1926 by Éamon de ...

politician who has served as

Minister of State at the Department of Health The Minister of State at the Department of Health is a junior ministerial post in the Department of Health of the Government of Ireland who may perform functions delegated by the Minister for Health. A Minister of State does not hold cabinet ran ...

since January 2025 and a

Teachta Dála A Teachta Dála ( ; ; plural ), abbreviated as TD (plural ''TDanna'' in Irish language, Irish, TDs in English), is a member of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas, the parliament of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. The official Engli ...

(TD) for the Carlow–Kilkenny constituency since the 2020 general election. She previously served as a

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

for the

Labour Panel The Labour Panel is one of five vocational panels which together elect 43 of the 60 members of Seanad Éireann, the senate of the Oireachtas (the legislature of Ireland). The Labour Panel elects eleven senators. Election Article 18 of the Const ...

from 2016 to 2020.

Political career

Murnane O'Connor first ran for the Dáil in

2011 The year marked the start of a Arab Spring, series of protests and revolutions throughout the Arab world advocating for democracy, reform, and economic recovery, later leading to the depositions of world leaders in Tunisia, Egypt, and Yemen ...

, when she polled 6% of the first preference vote in Carlow–Kilkenny for

. She did not run in the

2015 by-election Fifteen or 15 may refer to: *15 (number) *one of the years 15 BC, AD 15, 1915, 2015 Music *Fifteen (band), a punk rock band Albums * ''15'' (Buckcherry album), 2005 * ''15'' (Ani Lorak album), 2007 * ''15'' (Phatfish album), 2008 * ' ...

in the constituency, but was chosen to contest the 2016 general election as the

County Carlow County Carlow ( ; ) is a Counties of Ireland, county located in the Southern Region, Ireland, Southern Region of Ireland, within the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster. Carlow is the List of Irish counties by area, second smallest and t ...

–based candidate on a Fianna Fáil ticket that also featured sitting TDs John McGuinness and Bobby Aylward (who won the 2015 by-election). Murnane O'Connor polled 12% of the first preference vote but was not elected. She received 8,373 votes, the highest number of votes for a non-elected candidate at that election. She was elected as a senator on the

in the

25th Seanad The 25th Seanad was in office from 2016 to 2020. An election to Seanad Éireann, the senate of the Oireachtas (Irish parliament), followed the 2016 general election to the 32nd Dáil on 26 February. There are 60 seats in the Seanad: 43 were el ...

in April 2016. She was the Fianna Fáil Seanad Spokesperson on Housing, Planning and Local Government from 2016 to 2020. At the 2020 general election, she was elected as a Fianna Fáil TD for Carlow–Kilkenny. At the

2024 general election This is a list of elections that were held in 2024. The National Democratic Institute also maintains a calendar of elections around the world. * 2024 United Nations Security Council election * 2024 national electoral calendar * 2024 local electo ...

, Murnane O'Connor was re-elected to the Dáil. On 29 January 2015, shortly after the formation of a new government led by

Micheál Martin Micheál Martin (; born 16 August 1960) is an Irish Fianna Fáil politician serving as Taoiseach since January 2025, having previously held the position from 2020 to 2022. Martin served as Tánaiste, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Min ...

, she was appointed as

with responsibility for public health, well-being and drugs.

Personal life

Murnane O'Connor was born in

Waterford Waterford ( ) is a City status in Ireland, city in County Waterford in the South-East Region, Ireland, south-east of Ireland. It is located within the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster. The city is situated at the head of Waterford H ...

in 1966, but is a native of

Graiguecullen Graiguecullen GFC are a Gaelic Athletic Association club from County Laois, Ireland. The club played in Carlow for many years but in 1926 they were suspended. The club then chose to play in Laois and have been doing so ever since. The club wer ...

. She is the daughter of former

Carlow County Council Carlow County Council () is the local authority of County Carlow, Ireland. As a county council, it is governed by the Local Government Act 2001. The council is responsible for housing and community, roads and transportation, urban planning and ...

lor Jimmy Murnane, who served on the local council for several years. She was co-opted to Carlow Urban District Council in 1999, following her father's retirement. She topped the polls for both for the Urban and County Council at the following elections. Prior to her election as a TD, she worked in Graham's, a shoe shop in

Carlow Carlow ( ; ) is the county town of County Carlow, in the south-east of Republic of Ireland, Ireland, from Dublin. At the 2022 census of Ireland, 2022 census, it had a population of 27,351, the List of urban areas in the Republic of Ireland, ...

. She married Pat O'Connor in 1985. They have two sons and two daughters.

References

External links

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor's page on the Fianna Fáil website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Murnane OConnor, Jennifer 1966 births Living people Fianna Fáil senators Fianna Fáil TDs Members of the 25th Seanad 21st-century women members of Seanad Éireann Politicians from County Waterford Alumni of Cork Institute of Technology Members of Carlow County Council Members of the 33rd Dáil 21st-century women Teachtaí Dála Labour Panel senators Fianna Fáil local councillors Members of the 34th Dáil Ministers of State of the 34th Dáil