Grace O'Sullivan

Grace O'Sullivan (born 8 March 1962) is an Irish politician who has been a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) from Ireland for the South constituency since July 2019. She is a member of the Green Party, part of the European Green Party. She previously served as a Senator for the Agricultural Panel from 2016 to 2019.[1]

Grace O'Sullivan

MEP
Member of the European Parliament
Assumed office
2 July 2019
ConstituencySouth
Senator
In office
27 April 2016 – 1 July 2019
ConstituencyAgricultural Panel
Personal details
Born (1962-03-08) 8 March 1962
Tramore, County Waterford, Ireland
NationalityIrish
Political party Irish:
Green Party
 EU:
European Green Party
Alma materOpen University
Websitegraceosullivan.ie

O'Sullivan is also known for her activism during a 20-year career with Greenpeace. She is a former Irish surfing champion and has worked for a number of years as an environmental education specialist and ecologist.[2][3]

Biography

O'Sullivan was born in County Waterford in Ireland, where she grew up in Tramore, close to the back strand and the surrounding countryside, an environment which she says was influential on her life and appreciation of nature and the sea.[4]

She joined Tramore Sea and Cliff Rescue at the age of 16, and by the age of 18 was a helmsman with the Tramore RNLI.[4] She spent some time as a lifeguard with Waterford County Council, patrolling Tramore beach during the summer months.[5]

She was a keen sportsperson at school, and became Ireland's first National Female Surf Champion in 1981.[4]

In 1983, she took up a position with Greenpeace, and spend the next 20 years working with the organisation in areas that included almost 10 years on various Greenpeace ships. She was a crew member of the original Rainbow Warrior when it was bombed in New Zealand in 1985 by French Intelligence.[6][7] She was involved in many campaigns covering a range of environmental and peace issues. She spent a number of years working for Greenpeace at its Amsterdam offices,[5] including time as assistant to Campaign Director and as Human Resources Manager for Greenpeace International.[8]

In addition to working full-time at Greenpeace, O'Sullivan also completed a post graduate diploma in Business Enterprise Development at Waterford Institute of Technology.[9]

Political career

She ran as the Green MEP candidate for the Ireland South constituency in the 2014 European election,[10] being eliminated on the 7th count with approximately 4% of first preference votes.[11]

She was elected as a Senator in 2016, and sat with 5 other senators in the Civil Engagement group.[12]

O'Sullivan was elected at the 2019 European Parliament election for the South constituency. She received 75,946 (10.56%) first-preference votes. She was elected on the 18th count after a recount of the votes between her and outgoing MEP Liadh Ni Riada.[13] Pippa Hackett was elected unopposed to the Agricultural Panel of Seanad Éireann in the by-election on 1 November 2019 caused by O'Sullivan's election to the European Parliament.[14][15]

Her sister Lola O'Sullivan is a Fine Gael Waterford City and County Councillor.[16]

References
  1. "Grace O'Sullivan". Oireachtas Members Database. Retrieved 17 June 2019.
  2. "Green candidate Grace O'Sullivan believes she has realistic chance of European seat". The Irish Times. 12 May 2014. Retrieved 13 May 2019.
  3. "Long term effects of climate change displayed after thousands of penguin chicks drowned". Green Party. 26 April 2019. Retrieved 13 May 2019.
  4. "Amazing Grace | Munster Express Online". Munster Express. 19 September 2008. Retrieved 26 March 2014.
  5. "'Next thing the boat shuddered': an Irish activist recalls sinking of 'Rainbow Warrior'". The Irish Times. 4 July 2015. Retrieved 13 May 2019.
  6. "New Green Euro candidate climbed anchor of nuclear ship". Irish Independent. 8 March 2014. Retrieved 26 March 2014.
  7. "The Greens' new senator on her activist past and the bombing of the Rainbow Warrior". TheJournal.ie. 14 May 2016. Retrieved 13 May 2019.
  8. admin (2016-06-01). "Senator Grace O'Sullivan". MacGill Summer School. Retrieved 2020-04-22.
  9. Zine, UCC Green (2018-03-25). "An Interview with Senator Grace O'Sullivan". Medium. Retrieved 2020-04-22.
  10. "'Our dream team': Here are the Green Party candidates for the European elections". TheJournal.ie. 13 January 2014. Retrieved 26 March 2014.
  11. "Grace O'Sullivan". ElectionsIreland.org. Retrieved 17 June 2019.
  12. "Five independent Senators have formed a technical group in the Seanad". BreakingNews.ie. 24 May 2016. Retrieved 13 May 2019.
  13. "O'Sullivan, Clune take final two seats in Ireland South". RTÉ News. 5 June 2019.
  14. "Green Party's Pippa Hackett elected to the Seanad". RTÉ News. 1 November 2019.
  15. "Seanad Éireann debate - Tuesday, 5 November 2019: Election of Member". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 24 November 2019.
  16. "7 things from election Sunday: What we have learned". rte.ie. RTÉ News. 27 May 2019.
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