About

Rose Conway-WalshRose Conway-Walsh was elected Teachta Dála (TD) of the 33rd Dáil Éireann for County Mayo on February 8th, 2020 on the first count. She is the first TD in her home region of Erris in over 50 years. 

Rose was elected to Seanad Éireann on the Agricultural Panel in April 2016 and served as Leader of the Sinn Féin team. Along with her Sinn Féin colleague, Deputy Pearse Doherty, Rose was on the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and the Taoiseach. Additionally, she sat on the Joint Committee for Agriculture, Food and the Marine. She is a member of Sinn Féin’s Ard Chomhairle.

Previously, Rose was a councillor on Mayo County Council from 2009 to 2016 and the EU Committee of the Regions since 2014.  

She holds a BA in Public Management and a Masters in Local Government.  Rose has a special interest in Economics and represents Sinn Féin at national and International Events as well as chairing the Party’s ‘Stand Up for the West’ campaign.

Rose has over two decades of experience in leading Community Projects in Mayo. She works towards an alternative vision to address social and economic exclusion and health inequality.

Passionate about Rural Ireland, Rose strives to put issues affecting the West front and centre of the Oireachtas.  After spending over a decade in London before returning to Ireland, Rose prioritises the equalisation of rights for Irish Citizens regardless of where they live.  In particular she is to the forefront in the fight to secure presidential voting rights for Irish Citizens in the North and abroad as well as advocating for the undocumented Irish in the US.

Rose lives in Belmullet, Co Mayo and is the mother of two teenage boys.

Chronology

February 2020 - present

Teachta Dála 33rd Dáil Éireann

Elected Teachta Dála of the 33rd Dáil Éireann for County Mayo on February 8th, 2020 on the first count.

April 2016 - February 2020

Seanad Éireann

Elected to the 25th Seanad onto the Agricultural Panel.

  • Sinn Féin Seanad Leader. Planning and managing the work of six other team members and their staff
  • Member of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance & Public Expenditure
  • Seanad Spokesperson for Rural Affairs
  • Member of Sinn Féin Ard Chomhairle & Leinster House Core Group, fully involved in all decision making processes within the party.
  • Managing Constituency Office in Mayo
  • Constant engagement with constituents, community & statutory groups, business sector
  • Regular print and broadcast media contributor on a variety of issues.
June 2009 - April 2016

Mayo County Council

  • Elected to represent the huge coastal area of West Mayo stretching from Blacksod to Leenane. Rose topped the poll in this area when re-elected in 2014.
  • Played a very active role on several Strategic Policy Committees (SPC’s) including Economic Development, Roads, Water & Sewerage as well as The Commemoration Strategy Committee and the Agriculture Committee.
  • Used the limited resources available to meet the needs of people in the constituency in a fair and equitable manner. She continued to work with voluntary and statutory organizations to address issues affecting individuals, families and communities. These included poor mental health, domestic violence, poverty and social exclusion.
  • Irish member of EU Committee of the Regions.
  • Member of EU Commission for Natural Resources.
  • Member of EU Commission for Territorial Cohesion Policy and EU Budget.
  • Rose earned a reputation as a hardworking, straight talking Councillor who was not afraid to challenge the status quo.
Sept 2003 – Nov 2015

Erris Community Development Project

Project Coordinator

  • Management and development of the work of the Project in consultation with the Department of Environment, Community & Local Government, management committee and staff.
  • Management of the day to day running of the resource centre.
  • Development and implementation of strategies to address the issues of rural isolation among elderly farming population, early school leavers, violence against women & children, depression, long term unemployment, anti-bullying, poverty and social exclusion.
  • Conducting Research with low income farm families, disadvantaged women and young people in the Erris area.
  • Provision of one to one support, advice and guidance to assist people realise their full potential, especially those experiencing social exclusion and poverty such as single male farmers living alone.
  • Set up IT Coding and Programming Classes for young people between the ages of 8 and 15 to encourage higher participation in Computer Sciences.  Encouraging congruence between training and education and industry to maximize the employment opportunities arising from the Transatlantic Fibre Optic Cable.
  • Management of Project Budget, identification of funding sources and submission of applications.
  • Design and Development of Programmes to promote Gender Budgeting and empowerment of Women.
Sept 1998 – Sept 2003

South West Mayo Development Company

Enterprise & Training Officer

  • Provision of one to one advice and guidance to new business start-up’s and self-employed including access to funding and financing.
  • Development of training strategies and organisation and delivery of programmes.
  • Animation work with groups, including organising and addressing public meetings.
  • Organisation of Launches and Exhibitions.
  • Conducting Research and compiling reports on Education, Training and Employment for women, small holders and long term unemployed.
1985 - 1998

Management Experience

During her time in London Rose held a number of senior positions in Multi-National Companies and was responsible for major fundraising campaigns for the non-profit sector.