Kathleen Lynch | |
|---|---|
 Lynch in 2013 | |
| Minister of State | |
| 2011–2016 | Health |
| 2011–2014 | Justice and Equality |
| Teachta Dála | |
| In office May 2002 – February 2016 | |
| In office November 1994 – June 1997 | |
| Constituency | Cork North-Central |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1953-06-07)7 June 1953 (age 72) Cork, Ireland |
| Political party | Labour Party |
| Other political affiliations | |
| Spouse | Bernard Lynch |
| Children | 4 |
| Alma mater | University College Cork |
Kathleen Lynch (born 7 June 1953) is an Irish formerLabour Party politician who served asMinister of State from 2011 to 2016. She served as aTeachta Dála (TD) for theCork North-Central constituency from 1994 to 1997 and 2002 to 2016.[1]
Kathleen Lynch was born inCork in 1953. She is married to Bernard Lynch and they have three daughters and one son. Bernard Lynch was a member ofOfficial Sinn Féin.[2] She is a sister-in-law toCiarán Lynch who was a Labour Party TD for Cork South-Central from 2007 to 2016 and of Cork City Council Councilor Catherine Clancy, who originally had been co-opted to replace her on the council.[3]
She first held political office in 1985 when she was elected toCork Corporation for theWorkers' Party. She came to prominence as a campaigner against service charges being introduced by the corporation. When that party split in 1992, Lynch and other members of the Cork organisation were initially undecided as to their stance, but she subsequently decided to follow former party presidentProinsias De Rossa and the bulk of the party's TDs into the new organisation which later took the nameDemocratic Left. Lynch was first elected toDáil Éireann as Democratic Left TD for Cork North-Central at aby-election in 1994 caused by the death of Labour Party TDGerry O'Sullivan. She lost her Dáil seat at the1997 general election but was re-elected again at the2002 general election, this time for the Labour Party following the merger of Democratic Left with that party in 1999.[4]
In April 2008, she was involved in a controversy where she wrote a letter testifying the good character of the parents of a man accused of raping two teenage sisters. The man was convicted and sentenced for 13 years.[5] In a statement she said: "Having heard an interview with one of the victims in the case, who was clearly distressed by my letter and having considered the matter and discussed it with colleagues I now accept that it was inappropriate for a TD to have become involved in any way in a case of such seriousness. If my action has in any way added to the ordeal of the two victims in this case, then I deeply regret that and offer them my apologies."[6]
On 10 March 2011, she was appointed by theFine Gael–Labour coalition government asMinister of State at the Department of Health andat the Department of Justice and Equality with special responsibility for Disability, Equality and Mental Health.[7][8][9] On 15 July 2014, she was redesignated as Minister of State with special responsibility for Primary Care, Mental Health and Disability, after her brief in Equality was allocated toAodhán Ó Riordáin.[10][11] In June 2011, Lynch caused controversy when she appointed her husband, Bernard, to the role as a personal assistant, which is a taxpayer-funded role.[12]
She lost her seat at theFebruary 2016 general election.[4] She remained as a junior minister until 6 May 2016 during theprolonged talks on government formation.[13]
Shortly after losing her seat Lynch gave an interview to Catherine Shanahan of theIrish Examiner in which, among other things, she praised former cabinet colleaguesJames Reilly andAlan Shatter, was scathing ofLeo Varadkar,Michael McDowell andRóisín Shortall, spoke of her preference forBrendan Howlin (or evenSeán Sherlock) overAlan Kelly, and stated that she had no idea as to whyMáiría Cahill was chosen as the party's Seanad by-election candidate.[14][15]