Profile: Jan O’Sullivan (Lab)

Jan O'Sullivan first entered politics in 1982 when she joined the Democratic Socialist Party founded by the late Limerick TD Jim Kemmy. The 66-year old mother of two adult children is married to Paul O'Sullivan, a GP in Limerick. O'Sullivan was first elected to Limerick City Council in 1985. She joined the Labour party in 1990 and was Kemmy's unsuccessful running mate in the 1992 General Election. She was again unsuccessful in the 1997 general election but won her first Dáil seat in the 1997 byelection following the death of Kemmy. A former mayor of Limerick and the first female TD in Limerick since 192, O'Sullivan was involved in the family planning services which Kemmy founded. During her time in government, O'Sullivan has acted as Junior minister for trade of and development, and housing and planning. In 2014 she was appointed Minister for Education and Skills.