Averil Power

Averil Power
Senator
Incumbent
Assumed office
April 2011
Constituency Industrial and Commercial Panel
Personal details
Born 26 July 1978
Dublin, Ireland
Nationality Irish
Political party Fianna Fáil
Spouse(s) Fionnan Sheahan
Alma mater Trinity College, Dublin
Website www.averilpower.ie

Averil Power (born 26 July 1978) is an Irish Fianna Fáil politician.[1] She was elected to the 24th Seanad in April 2011 by the Industrial and Commercial Panel,[2] and is the Fianna Fáil Seanad spokesperson on Education and Skills.

Early and personal life

She grew up in a council estate and is the first person in her family to finish school and go to college.[3]

She has a degree in Business, Economics and Social Science from Trinity College, Dublin, where she was elected to the positions of President (2001–02) and Education Officer (2000–01) of Trinity College Dublin Students' Union. She also has a Diploma in Legal Studies from Honorable Society of Kings Inns and is a graduate of the Boston College Political Leadership Programme.[4]

She is married to Irish Independent political editor Fionnan Sheahan.[5]

Political career

Since her election to the Seanad, she has championed a number of issues including education, social justice, mental health and LGBT equality. She was awarded a GALA for 'Politician of the Year' by the National LGBT Federation in 2014.[6] She has also produced policy papers on youth mental health[7] and increasing female representation in politics.[8]

She has spoken out about her experience as an adopted person and is campaigning for all Irish adoptees to have a right to their birth certs.[9]

Prior to her election to the Seanad, she worked as policy adviser to former Minister Mary Hanafin in the Departments of Tourism, Social and Family Affairs and Education.[10] As an adviser in the Department of the Education, she helped to develop and implement the DEIS programme of extra supporters for disadvantaged schools.[11]

She contested the Dublin North–East constituency at the 2011 general election but was not elected. In a three-seat constituency, she polled fourth on the first count, receiving 4,794 first preference votes (11.5%).[12]

She has announced her intention to run for the Dáil again in the next general election in the newly created Dublin Bay North Constituency.[13]

She has an interest in development issues and volunteered in Mozambique with Voluntary Service Overseas in August 2011.[14]

She also visited the Occupied Palestinian territories with Christian Aid in 2013 and has been a vocal advocate of the rights of the Palestinian people. She proposed a motion recognizing the State of Palestine which was passed by the Irish Senate in October 2014.[15] She is a Jury member for the global Frontline Defenders human rights awards.[16]

References

External links