Norma Foley
Norma Foley (born 1970[1]) is an Irish Fianna Fáil politician who has served as Minister for Education since June 2020. She has been a Teachta Dála (TD) for Kerry since 2020.[2]
Norma Foley | |
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Minister for Education | |
Assumed office 27 June 2020 | |
Taoiseach | Micheál Martin |
Preceded by | Joe McHugh |
Teachta Dála | |
Assumed office February 2020 | |
Constituency | Kerry |
Personal details | |
Born | 1970 Tralee, County Kerry, Ireland |
Nationality | Irish |
Political party | Fianna Fáil |
Spouse(s) | Denis Maguire ( m. 2005) |
Relations | Denis Foley (Father) |
Education | Presentation Secondary School |
Alma mater | University College Cork |
Local politics
Foley was previously a member of Kerry County Council for the Tralee area, serving from 1994 until her election to the Dáil in 2020. She also served as a member of Tralee Urban District Council until its abolition in 2014.
Parliamentary career
After failing in her bid to secure a nomination as a general election candidate in Kerry North in 2002, Foley was added to the Fianna Fáil ticket as Tom McEllistrim's running mate in the same constituency in 2007.[3] She polled 4,937 first preference votes and finished fifth overall in the three-set constituency after being eliminated on the third count.
Foley again failed in her bid to secure a nomination as a general election candidate in 2016, but was a late addition to the ticket as a third Fianna Fáil candidate in the Kerry constituency in advance of the 2020 general election.[4][5] She polled 6,856 first preference votes and secured the fifth and final seat at the expense of the her party colleague John Brassil on the eighth count.[6] Johnnie Wall was co-opted to Foley's seat on Kerry County Council following her election to the Dáil. On her first day in the Dáil, Foley proposed her party leader Micheál Martin in his successful bid to become Taoiseach.
Minister for Education
Foley was appointed Minister for Education in June 2020 following the formation of a new coalition government.[7]
Personal life
She is a teacher at Presentation Secondary School, Tralee. She is married to fellow teacher Denis Maguire. Her parents are Denis and Hannah Foley. Her father Denis Foley was a Fianna Fáil TD for Kerry North from 1981 to 1989 and 1992 to 2002.
References
- "Norma Foley (b. 1970) - Irish Life and Lore". irishlifeandlore.com. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
- "Norma Foley". Oireachtas Members Database. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
- Lucey, Anne (25 June 2001). "Foley fails to win Kerry North nomination". Irish Times. Retrieved 27 June 2020.
- O'Sullivan, Majella (8 January 2015). "FF's Norma Foley follows her dad with Dail bid". Irish Independent. Retrieved 27 June 2020.
- Lucey, Anne (17 December 2019). "Norma Foley added to Fianna Fáil ticket in Kerry". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 27 June 2020.
- Crean, Dermot (10 February 2020). "It's all over in Kerry as Norma Foley takes fifth and final seat". Tralee Today. Retrieved 27 June 2020.
- "Norma Foley becomes Minister for Education and Helen McEntee Minister for Justice". Tralee Today. 27 June 2020. Retrieved 27 June 2020.
External links
Oireachtas | ||
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Preceded by John Brassil (Fianna Fáil) |
Fianna Fáil Teachta Dála for Kerry 2020–present |
Incumbent |
Political offices | ||
Preceded by Joe McHugh |
Minister for Education 2020–present |
Incumbent |