Sile de Valera

Profile from Elections 2002

6 Riverdale, Tulla Road, Ennis, Co Clare, Tel: 065 6821100

Constituency Office: 9 Chapel Lane, Ennis, Co Clare, Tel: 065 6840208, Fax: 065 6840695

Department of Education and Science, Marlborough Street, Dublin 1, Tel: 01 8892028

Born Dublin December 1954. Single. Educated Loreto Convent, Foxrock, Co Dublin and UCD (BA, HdipED, Dip Career Guidance, D Psych Sc). First elected 1977 in Dublin Mid-County. Elected in Clare in 1987 and at each subsequent election.

Appointed Minister of State at the Dept. of Education and Science (with special responsibility for Adult Education, Youth Affairs and Educational Disadvantage) on 18th June 2002. Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands 1997-2002. Fianna Fail front bench spokesperson on Arts, Culture and Heritage 1995-1997. Dáil deputy for Clare since 1987. Previously a Dail deputy 1977-1981 for the then constituency of Dublin Mid-County and was at that time the youngest member of the Dail. Contested the constituency of Dublin South in 1981 and February 1982 and the constituency of Clare in November 1982. Member of the European Parliament 1979-1984 and of the Parliament's Committees for Social Affairs and Employment, Youth Education and Sport and the Ad Hoc Women's Committee. Cousin of Eamon O Cuiv, TD for Galway West since 1992. Grand-daughter of Eamon de Valera, President of Ireland 1959-1973; Taoiseach 1937-1948, 1951-1954, 1957-1959; President of the Executive Council of the Irish Free State 1932-1937; President, first Dail 1919-1921; President, second Dail 1921-January 1922.

Click here for details of Seán Donnelly's book Elections 2002