I remember the moment that I learned about climate change, or the ‘greenhouse effect’ as it was called in the late 1980s. I was terrified. Since then, very little has been done to bend the emissions curve. But I was left with an overwhelming desire to work for environmental protection and climate justice. When I was asked to stand on a green ticket in 1991, I stepped up, even though I was still a student at Trinity. I’ve spent the last three decades stepping up. As a mother, an academic, a writer and an activist, I will bring passion, expertise and experience to the Oireachtas.
I have a proven track record of working with people in all parties and none and a reputation for research excellence and coalition building. In September 2024 I was delighted to join Labour and I am the Party’s candidate in the forthcoming General Election in the Waterford constitutency.
- Regular contributor to the Irish Times Opinion and Environment pages
Former senior climate advisor to Friends of the Earth Ireland
Director of Transport Infrastructure Ireland*
Director of ActionAid Ireland
Lecturer in climate change policy and politics and climate and energy law at DCU and TU Dublin.
Former Green Party councillor – Elected to Dublin City Council in 1991
BA TCD 1993, MA UCD 2015 and PhD candidate at UCD in climate change ethics and policy.
Certificate in Renewable Energy from the Tipperary Institute 2003
Former coordinator of the Stop Climate Chaos Coalition
Campaign coordinator for Climate Case Ireland which pursued a successful legal challenge against the Irish government over climate policy.
Worked in the Oireachtas for Independents for Change group (Thomas Pringle TD) as policy advisor on the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action 2018-20.
- Former Environmental Awareness Officer for Kilkenny County Council