I have been living in the constituency most of my adult life I have seen Tallaght grow from a village to a large town.
I grew up in Limerick attending Villiers School and the School of Art. My father, a Northerner, was the Presbyterian minister for Limerick, Ennis and Shannon, and my mother, from Cork, a GP in Askeaton and before that a casualty officer in the Regional hospital.
My mother was related to Osborne Bergin, the Cork scholar and poet and a founder of the Gaelic League and also to Doreen Synge who was Countess Markievicz's driver in 1916.
I worked as an art teacher and completed a Diploma in Continuing Education to support my interest in life-long learning - I was mentoring my mother in her art studies in Galway Institute of Technology until a few months before her death aged 82. I am an external assessor with FETAC the Further Education and Training Awards Council .
I worked with Fettercairn Youth Horse Project both on its steering committee and as a staff member advising in training and designing modules.
I am a member of Friends of Massy Woods campaigning for the development of the Woods as a amenity for Dublin South-West.
I have also lived in Derry, Northern Ireland, where my husband was an elected representative.
I worked with young people in marginalised communities and was a volunteer with the Northern Ireland Probation Service.
I have participated in numerous dialogue workshops with Northern and Southern politicians on the current process between our countries.
As a mother with four daughters I have good contacts with the next generation and am positive about their future. I believe more women in politics will automatically bring improvements in standards in public ethics.
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