Labour's female general election candidates
Labour are running 11 general election candidates out of 50.
Kathleen Lynch Labour (Cork North Central)
Labour spokesperson on consumer affairs. A great candidate. Elected in a by-election in1994, lost her seat in 1997, re-elected in the 2002. Former member of the Workers' Party and Democratic Left. Issues: social welfare, health, education and justice.
Siobhan McLaughlin Labour (Donegal North East)
Previously worked for the Donegal Travellers Project and chair of the County Community Forum. Issues: financial support for students; public transport, night buses and more recreational facilities for her constituency.
Joanna Tuffy Labour (Dublin Mid West)
Member South Dublin County Council 1999-2003 and elected a senator in 2002. A solicitor. Good chance of being elected. Issues: proper planning, public transport, education.
Roisin Shorthall Labour (Dublin North West)
Labour spokesperson on transport. Former primary school teacher. First elected to Dáil 1992. Seat in danger to Sinn Féin. Issues: Increase number of buses by 50 per cent and introduce a €1 flat-rate per trip fare for adults; cut the waiting lists for driving tests to six weeks; streamline the payment of third-level grants.
Mary Upton Labour (Dublin South Central)
Labour spokesperson on agriculture and food; University lecturer; first elected a TD in October 1999 in a by-election caused by the death of her brother, Pat Upton. Issues: affordable housing for young people and the elderly; better local public-health provision.
Joan Burton Labour (Dublin West)
Labour spokesperson on finance. An accountant and former lecturer at DIT. First elected in 1992. One of the Dáil's best TDs, in grave danger of losing her seat to a right-wing Fine Gael candidate. Issues: school places; public transport, a DART service on the Maynooth line, fair taxes, government waste.
Breeda Moynihan Cronan Labour (Kerry South)
A former bank official. Member Kerry County Council 1991-2003 and first elected to Dáil in 1992. Father was Michael Moynihan, long-time Labour TD and senator. Had announced she would retire before this election but was persuaded to change her mind. Issues: third-level grants for students; sporting and leisure facilities for young people.
Jan O'Sullivan Labour (Limerick East)
Labour spokesperson on education and science; former pre-school teacher; was a senator from 1993-97; member Limerick City Council 1985-2003; mayor of Limerick: 1993-94; first elected a TD in 1998. Arguably the best TD in Limerick. Issues: investment in education; activities for young people; opposed to the use of Shannon Airport by American troops.
Kathleen O'Meara Labour (Tipperary North)
Former journalist; senator since 1997 and member of Tipperary North Riding County Council 1999-2003. A good chance of being elected at the expense of a Fianna Fáil seat. Issues: local employment, class sizes, Breastcheck.
Phil Prendergast Labour (Tipperary South)
A nurse and midwife. Former lord mayor of Clonmel and member of Tipperary South Riding County Council since 1999. Issues: health, crime and lack of community gardaí.
Liz McManus Labour (Wicklow)
Deputy leader of Labour, spokesperson on health and probably will be minister for Health. Member of Wicklow County Council from 1995 to 2003. First elected to the Dáil in 1992. Former member of the Workers' Party and Democratic Left. Issues: an additional 2,300 hospital beds; scrapping the Harney plan to build private hospitals on public land; extend medical card coverage to 40 per cent of the population, free health insurance for all children up to the age of 16; 1,500 new consultants.