Lorraine Higgins (born 3 August 1979) is an Irish barrister, and a former Labour Party politician who represented the party in the 24th Seanad after being nominated by the Taoiseach Enda Kenny.[1] From Galway, she is a graduate of NUI Galway (acquiring a B.A. from the university in 2001)[2] and, later, the King's Inns.[3] During her time there she was Labour Party Seanad spokesperson on Reform and Foreign Affairs.
Lorraine Higgins | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Higgins in 2014 | |
| Senator | |
| In office 25 May 2011 – 8 June 2016 | |
| Constituency | Nominated by the Taoiseach |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 3 August 1979 Galway, Ireland |
| Political party | Labour Party |
| Alma mater | NUI Galway |
Career
editShe ran as a candidate in the Galway East constituency at the 2011 general election. In May 2011, she was nominated by the Taoiseach Enda Kenny to the 24th Seanad.[4]
Higgins was a candidate for the Labour Party in the Midlands–North-West constituency for the 2014 European Parliament election but failed to take a seat during one of the worst elections for the Labour Party.
She unsuccessfully contested the 2016 Irish general election for the Galway East constituency.[5]
She was not selected for re-appointment to the 25th Seanad. Higgins complained about how "regrettable" it was that more women were not included in the parliamentary party. She was quoted as saying: "For me it was the last throw of the dice and I probably won't be involved in representative politics again".[6]
In March 2017, Higgins became employed as Head of Public Affairs and Communications and as a board member with Retail Excellence. She was promoted to the position of CEO in July 2018.[7]
She subsequently founded leading digital representative body, Digital Business Ireland, and Dublin-based consultancy company, Rockwood Public Affairs.[citation needed]
She was appointed to the position of Honorary Consul of the Slovak Republic in 2019.[citation needed]
In August 2020, she attended a golf party in County Galway which breached the COVID-19 guidelines.[8]
2015 threats and harassment
editDuring the summer of 2015, a man named Stephen French of Walkinstown sent her messages involving violent and anti-Semitic content, saying that he "will watch her bleed" and that he is "going to blow her fucking Jew nose right off".[9] In the aftermath of the incidents, French was spared from serving time in jail and given a suspended six-month sentence after his guilty plea to three charges of threatening Higgins and two charges of harassing her.[10]
References
edit- ^ "Lorraine Higgins". Oireachtas Members Database. Archived from the original on 8 November 2018. Retrieved 29 May 2011.
- ^ "Alumni events: Dublin alumni club". Cois Coiribe. Winter 2015. Archived from the original on 22 November 2017.
- ^ "Lorraine Higgins". Labour Party. Archived from the original on 5 June 2011. Retrieved 29 May 2011.
- ^ Edwards, Elaine (20 May 2011). "McAleese appointed to Seanad". The Irish Times. Archived from the original on 16 October 2012. Retrieved 29 May 2011.
- ^ "Galway East results: Ciarán Cannon set to be elected". The Irish Times. 27 February 2016.
- ^ Minihan, Mary (18 March 2016). "Ó Ríordáin and Humphreys selected by Labour for Seanad elections". The Irish Times. Archived from the original on 24 March 2016. Retrieved 19 March 2016.
- ^ "Who We Are?". Retail Excellence. Archived from the original on 3 April 2017. Retrieved 3 April 2017.
- ^ Moore, Aoife (21 August 2020). "#Golfgate: Invite to Oireachtas event didn't mention pandemic". Irish Examiner. Archived from the original on 24 August 2020. Retrieved 21 August 2020.
- ^ Pheland, Andrew; Schiller, Robin (10 January 2018). "'I will watch you bleed' - internet troll spared jail despite vile death threats against senator". Independent.ie. Archived from the original on 10 January 2018. Retrieved 17 March 2019.
- ^ Hanley, Valerie (14 January 2018). "Mother of Online Troll Who Sent Death Threats to Senator: 'I've Cut Off Out internet'". extra.ie. Retrieved 17 March 2019.