Jennifer Whitmore | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Whitmore in 2024 | |
| Teachta Dála | |
| Assumed office February 2020 | |
| Constituency | Wicklow |
| Personal details | |
| Born | June 1974 (age 51)[1] Wexford, Ireland |
| Political party | Social Democrats |
| Spouse | Tony Whitmore |
| Children | 4 |
| Alma mater | |
| Website | jenniferwhitmore |
Jennifer Whitmore (born June 1974) is an IrishSocial Democrats politician who has been aTeachta Dála (TD) for theWicklow constituency since the2020 general election.[2][3]
Whitmore is fromWexford. She gained two diplomas at theGalway-Mayo Institute of Technology and later graduated with aBachelor of Science in Biological Science and Ecology from theUniversity of Ulster. During the ten years she resided inAustralia, she studied Environmental Law at theUniversity of Sydney.[4]
Whitmore has worked in both local and international ecology and environmentalism as well as with theGovernment of New South Wales, Australia. In 2015, she founded the East Wicklow Rivers Trust.[citation needed]
She was elected to represent theGreystones local electoral area on theWicklow County Council, following the2014 local elections. In July 2015, she helped co-found the Social Democrats as a party and became the party's Spokesperson for Children.[5]
Whitmore was elected as a Social DemocratTD for theWicklow constituency following the2020 general election. In the election, she came ahead of former Social Democrats TD and leaderStephen Donnelly who left the party after just one year, citing difficulties in cooperating with the other leaders.[6]
In September 2021, Whitmore tabled aJust Transition Bill in the Dáil; the Bill was deliberately almost identical to one theGreen Party had tabled in 2017 while in opposition but had been voted down. At the time, Green leaderEamon Ryan called their proposed bill a "critical piece of the architecture" of any policy on climate action.[7] One amendment Whitmore did make however was to define the term "Just Transition", as the previous version of the bill did not. Whitmore said the bill would define "just transition" as a green transition that ensures the economic and social consequences of the climate emergency are managed to maximise "opportunities of decent work for all, reduce inequalities, promotesocial justice, and support industries, workers and communities negatively affected".[7][8]
At the2024 general election, Whitmore was re-elected to the Dáil.[9]
Whitmore lives inDelgany,County Wicklow, with her husband Tony and their four children.[3]
Cllr Whitmore is a founding member of the Social Democrats and has represented the people of the Greystones Municipal District as a councillor since 2014.