Katherine Zappone

Katherine Zappone
Minister for Children and Youth Affairs
In office
6 May 2016 – 27 June 2020
Taoiseach
Preceded byJames Reilly
Succeeded byRoderic O'Gorman
(Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth)
Teachta Dála
In office
February 2016 – February 2020
ConstituencyDublin South-West
Senator
In office
25 May 2011 – 26 February 2016
ConstituencyNominated by the Taoiseach
Personal details
Born (1953-11-25) 25 November 1953 (age 71)
Seattle, Washington, U.S.
Citizenship
  • United States
  • Ireland (since 1995)
[1]
Political partyDemocratic (US)[2]
Independent (Ireland)
Spouse
​
​
(m. 2003; died 2017)​
Alma mater
Websitekatherinezappone.ie

Katherine Zappone (/zæˈpoʊn/; born 25 November 1953) is an American-Irish independent politician who served as Minister for Children and Youth Affairs from May 2016 to June 2020. She was a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Dublin South-West constituency from 2016 to 2020. She previously served as a Senator from 2011 to 2016, after being nominated by the Taoiseach.

She was nominated by the Taoiseach Enda Kenny to the 24th Seanad in 2011,[3][4] having been recommended by Eamon Gilmore, the then leader of Fine Gael's coalition partners, the Labour Party.[5][6] With her Seanad nomination, she became the first openly lesbian member of the Oireachtas and the first member in a recognised same-sex relationship.

She was elected to the Dáil for the Dublin South-West constituency at the 2016 general election, becoming the first openly lesbian TD and, by her own reckoning, the world's 32nd lesbian to be elected to a national parliament.[7] In May 2016, after a delay in government formation, due to prolonged talks, Zappone became Ireland's first openly lesbian government Minister and the first Minister to have been openly gay at the time of appointment to cabinet, when Taoiseach Enda Kenny appointed her as the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs. She lost her seat at the general election of February 2020 and continued to serve as a minister until June 2020 on the election of a new government.[8]

  1. ^ Zappone, Katherine (July 2008). "Ireland: Fighting for 21st century law to end Prejudice". Centre for Progressive Change. Archived from the original on 16 November 2017. Retrieved 18 March 2018. In 1995 I had the privilige [sic] of becoming an Irish citizen and so now I hold dual citizenship.
  2. ^ Zappone, Katherine. "Settling back into my other home, Seattle...with family, friends and fellow Democrats I am dedicating my time to defeat Trump by electing former Veep Joe Biden...100 days out and a lot of work ahead! @DemsAbroad #USElection2020". Twitter. Archived from the original on 25 July 2020. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
  3. ^ Edwards, Elaine (20 May 2011). "McAleese appointed to Seanad". The Irish Times. Archived from the original on 16 October 2012. Retrieved 29 May 2011.
  4. ^ "Katherine Zappone". Oireachtas Members Database. Archived from the original on 24 August 2020. Retrieved 29 May 2011.
  5. ^ "Gilmore announces Seanad nominee recommendations". Labour.ie. Archived from the original on 12 June 2011. Retrieved 15 June 2011.
  6. ^ "Katherine Zappone". ElectionsIreland.org. Archived from the original on 18 October 2011. Retrieved 20 November 2011.
  7. ^ "Ireland's first lesbian TD hopes to represent LGBT community in Dáil". Breaking News. 4 March 2016. Archived from the original on 15 April 2019. Retrieved 15 April 2019.
  8. ^ Hurley, Sandra (27 June 2020). "Micheál Martin becomes Taoiseach in historic coalition". RTÉ. Archived from the original on 27 June 2020. Retrieved 27 June 2020.