Fact-checked by Grok 2 weeks ago

Anne Rabbitte

Anne Rabbitte is an Irish Fianna Fáil politician who has served as a Senator in Seanad Éireann, nominated by the Taoiseach for the Administrative Panel, since February 2025. She represented Galway East as a Teachta Dála (TD) in Dáil Éireann from 2016 until losing her seat in the November 2024 general election, during which time she held the position of Minister of State for Disability at the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth from July 2020 to early 2024. A native of Portumna in County Galway and a qualified financial adviser, Rabbitte spent 25 years working in financial institutions and briefly operated a community childcare facility before entering local politics. She was first elected to Galway County Council in 2014 as a Fianna Fáil representative and subsequently secured a Dáil seat in the 2016 general election, capitalizing on local support amid Fine Gael's setbacks in the region. As Fianna Fáil spokesperson for Children and Youth Affairs prior to her ministerial appointment, she emphasized practical policy delivery over ideological posturing. In her role as Minister of State for Disability, Rabbitte prioritized enhancing services for individuals with disabilities, publicly criticizing the sector's underfunding and marginalization within the Department of Health—likening it to a "Cinderella" service—and clashing with HSE management over access to regional meetings. Her tenure was marked by efforts to address implementation gaps in disability supports, though it also drew scrutiny for undeclared property interests related to her late husband's estate. Rabbitte has endured significant personal abuse as a female politician, including a 2022 incident in which a constituent threw a bag of cow dung at her during a public event, reflecting broader tensions with rural constituents over policy decisions.

Early life and pre-political career

Family background and personal circumstances

Anne Rabbitte was on 11 October 1973 in , , , a town in the rural east of the county near the border with counties Offaly and Tipperary. Portumna's agricultural economy and proximity to Lough Derg shaped the local community from which Rabbitte hails, with historical reliance on farming and small-scale enterprises amid periodic rural economic pressures in the region. Limited public records detail her immediate origins beyond this locale, though her longstanding ties to Galway East underscore community-rooted influences that emphasized resilience in facing personal and regional challenges. Rabbitte became a widow in 2011 following the death of her husband, Paddy Callan. She subsequently raised their three children—Fiachra, Caoimhe, and Aoibhinn—as a , managing responsibilities alongside commitments in and childcare. This period fostered her emphasis on self-reliance, as she has described navigating grief and solo parenting without public elaboration on personal hardship to avoid sympathy-driven narratives. Rabbitte has noted drawing on inner fortitude, referring to herself as a "tough old bird" in coping with these circumstances, which informed her practical approach to balancing work and in a rural setting.

Professional experience

Prior to entering politics, Anne Rabbitte spent 25 years in the financial sector, where she developed expertise in management, leadership, and problem-solving. She worked at Bank of Ireland for approximately 15 years up to 2016, contributing to operations in a customer-facing environment that emphasized fiscal oversight and client advisory services. Rabbitte holds qualifications as a financial adviser, obtained through studies at University College Dublin's School of Business between 1998 and 2002. In addition to her banking career, Rabbitte managed a community childcare facility for three years, applying private-sector principles to local service delivery. This experience informed her pragmatic approach to , drawing from direct involvement in budgeting and outside government structures.

Entry into politics

Local involvement and initial candidacy

Rabbitte entered local politics through her election to Galway County Council in the 2014 local elections, representing in the local electoral area. Hailing from in east , she secured 1,729 first-preference votes, equivalent to 10.64% of the valid poll in her electoral area, placing third in a that elected four councillors. This grassroots success marked her initial foray into representative , emphasizing direct community engagement in a rural constituency characterized by agricultural and small-town concerns. As a newly elected councillor, Rabbitte focused on amplifying local voices from Portumna and surrounding areas within the county council framework, pledging to advocate for underrepresented rural communities in decision-making processes. Her involvement aligned with Fianna Fáil's emphasis on bottom-up representation in Galway East, a region with historical party strongholds but facing challenges like infrastructure deficits and service provision in dispersed populations. Pre-2016 activities included participation in local governance bodies, such as contributing to the Galway County Joint Policing Committee by 2016, addressing community safety and rural policing needs amid ongoing concerns over crime and resource allocation in east Galway. Rabbitte's council tenure positioned her for national candidacy, building on her local mandate to navigate Fianna Fáil's internal selection processes. The party's implementation of gender quotas—introduced following the 2012 legislation requiring at least 30% female candidates by 2016—facilitated opportunities for women like Rabbitte in center-right structures traditionally male-dominated, though Fianna Fáil experienced relatively smoother adoption compared to peers due to proactive conventions. This bottom-up progression underscored her emphasis on authentic local roots over elite pathways, preparing her for broader electoral contests while highlighting persistent hurdles for female aspirants in securing party nominations amid quota-driven shifts.

2016 Dáil election

Rabbitte contested the as a in the three-seat Galway East constituency, a encompassing parts of counties and with a agricultural . The occurred on 26 February amid national backlash against the Fine Gael–Labour coalition's austerity policies implemented since 2011, including property taxes and the controversial household water charges that sparked widespread protests. This discontent eroded Fine Gael's support in rural regions, enabling Fianna Fáil's recovery from its 2011 near-collapse and independents' gains. She secured 6,928 first-preference votes, equating to 15.31% of the 45,238 valid votes cast from an electorate of 68,432, with a turnout of 66.66%. The stood at 11,310 votes. Rabbitte reached it via transfers on the sixth count, capturing the second seat after independent Seán Canney (Independent Alliance) topped the poll and ahead of Fine Gael's incumbent Ciarán Cannon. Her selection aligned with Fianna Fáil's implementation of gender quotas under the 2012 Electoral , which boosted female candidacies and contributed to her as the first woman TD for Galway East since 1977. Campaigning emphasized local economic recovery for rural communities hit by post-2008 recession fallout, including support for family farms and small businesses strained by EU-mandated fiscal constraints. As a former county councillor and finance committee chair, Rabbitte highlighted her advocacy for regional infrastructure and opposition to centralized policies perceived as overlooking peripheral areas' needs. Following her election, Rabbitte joined Fianna Fáil's opposition frontbench, contributing to scrutiny of the incoming Fine Gael minority government's inheritance from the prior coalition, notably in debates on persistent unemployment (peaking at 8.4% nationally in early 2016) and inadequate rural broadband rollout. Fianna Fáil's subsequent confidence-and-supply agreement with Fine Gael on 29 April enabled targeted critiques without full opposition, focusing on coalition-era shortcomings like delayed disability services funding.

Parliamentary service

Tenure as Teachta Dála (2016–2024)

Rabbitte was first elected to Dáil Éireann on 26 February 2016 as a Fianna Fáil representative for the three-seat Galway East constituency, securing 12,255 first-preference votes and taking the second seat after transfers. She was re-elected on 8 February 2020 following Fianna Fáil's agreement to enter a coalition government with Fine Gael and the Green Party, which contributed to party stability despite national vote fluctuations. Her tenure concluded after defeat in the 29 November 2024 general election, where she was eliminated on the ninth count in the expanded four-seat constituency amid shifts toward independent and Sinn Féin candidates. From 2016 to 2020, during Fianna Fáil's opposition under the confidence-and-supply supporting the minority government, Rabbitte served as party spokesperson on Children and Affairs. In this , she introduced the Gambling 2018 as a private member's bill on 21 2018, proposing the of an independent Gambling Regulatory to enforce stricter licensing, advertising limits, and protections against youth exposure to activities, drawing on evidence of rising problem gambling among minors. The bill, while not enacted, informed subsequent regulatory discussions and highlighted unregulated online gambling risks, with research indicating its framework influenced aspects of the later Gambling Regulation 2022. Rabbitte also sponsored the Valuation (Amendment) Bill 2019 to adjust commercial rates valuations for rural and small businesses, aiming to mitigate fiscal burdens on agricultural and provincial enterprises amid rising costs. Additionally, she contributed to the Health (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2019, focusing on procedural enhancements in health service delivery. As a member of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Children and Youth Affairs, she participated in examinations of youth policy, including mental health supports and family services, emphasizing evidence-based interventions over expansive spending. Post-2020, as a government in the , Rabbitte maintained on legislative , advocating for targeted allocations in children and while navigating with Green Party partners, whose environmental priorities occasionally clashed with Fianna Fáil's emphasis on fiscal restraint and regional . Her parliamentary contributions reflected a pragmatic approach, prioritizing verifiable outcomes in committee deliberations on and over ideological expansions.

Appointment to Seanad Éireann (2024–present)

Following her elimination after the eighth in the East constituency during the on , 2024, Anne Rabbitte lost her as , reflecting Fáil's mixed results amid voter shifts toward independents and smaller parties. On , 2025, nominated her to the 27th as one of eleven Taoiseach's nominees, securing her in the through this constitutional that allows the to appoint experienced legislators outside . This move aligned with Fáil's post-election to preserve institutional and policy expertise despite Dáil losses, enabling Rabbitte to sustain her contributions without facing immediate electoral pressures. In her Seanad role, Rabbitte was assigned to key joint Oireachtas committees, including the , the , the , and the Oireachtas Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community. These assignments position her to scrutinize government policies on social welfare, housing affordability, and marginalized group supports, informing amendments and reports that influence Dáil proceedings. As Fianna Fáil spokesperson for , she has advocated for targeted legislative enhancements in rural and community development, proposing measures to bolster regional infrastructure and service delivery as part of her 2025 agenda. The Seanad's institutional affords but substantive on the Dáil and , primarily through to propose amendments—often when technically —and to delay bills for up to 90 days, prompting revisions to avert . Unlike the Dáil's primacy in initiating bills and overriding Seanad objections, the has compelled refinements in areas like reforms and , where senators' have led to incorporated changes mitigating haste, as evidenced in committee-driven alterations to bills on . Rabbitte's exemplifies how such appointments the Seanad's deliberative to counterbalance electoral , fostering sustained oversight.

Government roles

Minister of State for Disability (2020–2024)

Anne Rabbitte was appointed Minister of State with special responsibility for Disability on 1 July 2020, following the formation of the Fianna Fáil-Fine Gael-Green coalition government after the February 2020 general election. She was assigned to the newly reconfigured Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, with oversight of disability policy implementation, including community-based services, inclusion programs, and alignment with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Initial reforms emphasized shifting from institutional care to sustainable, localized supports, such as expanding respite services and assistive technology access, amid a departmental focus on capacity-building for demographic pressures. A core initiative under her tenure advanced the , particularly its strand, which provides targeted supports like additional and in settings for with disabilities. A January 2024 evaluation reported that % of participating parents observed benefits for their , with % noting improved , reflecting uptake growth from pilot phases to nationwide rollout. However, service expansion did not proportionally reduce waitlists; by May 2023, over 10,000 remained awaiting formal assessments of need, attributable to Health Service Executive (HSE) bottlenecks in procurement and staffing rather than funding deficits. Criticisms centered on and structural inefficiencies, with stakeholders including organizations 20-month lags in disbursing announced funds, undermining . Rabbitte acknowledged HSE issues, describing in hubs as "indefensible" and criticizing the budget's use as a for other overruns, which diluted targeted allocations. Broader critiques, including from providers, highlighted over-dependence on state-led interventions without sufficient or partnerships, exacerbating bureaucratic and fiscal despite increments secured by her . These persisted into 2024, with one-quarter of new positions unfilled, leaving children in extended limbo and questioning the causal efficacy of policy expansions absent streamlined execution.

Policy focus and achievements

Disability services and legislative initiatives

As Minister of State for from to , Rabbitte advocated for for Huntington's disease patients, including the allocation of two nurse posts in to gaps in specialized pathways. She engaged directly with affected families, such as at the Huntington's Disease Association of Ireland's annual meeting in October 2022, where discussions highlighted the disease's progressive neurological and the need for dedicated rehabilitation teams, though timelines for broader rehab services remained pending as of late 2022. In 2024, as a newly elected Senator, Rabbitte participated in the sod-turning for projects in Portumna, Galway, crediting collaborative efforts for advancing residential and community-based units tailored to local needs. Rabbitte co-sponsored the as a alongside Deputies and Jack Chambers, aiming to establish a regulatory that included limits, a standardized minimum 18, and measures to mitigate harms to vulnerable populations, such as those with disabilities prone to addiction. The legislation sought to fund addiction treatment through levies on operators, prioritizing protection over unrestricted personal choice, though critics argued it overemphasized state intervention at the expense of individual accountability in risk assessment. This built on earlier pushes, including 2019 advocacy for updated regulations to curb online betting proliferation, with the bill's framework influencing the subsequent Gambling Regulation Bill 2022, which empowered a new authority to enforce licensing and address illicit operations. In interactions with disability stakeholders, Rabbitte convened forums emphasizing service capacity amid fiscal constraints, such as the July 2024 pre-Budget estimates meeting with over 80 delegates from groups like the Disabled Persons' Organisations, where priorities for 2025 included forward-planning for therapies but underscored trade-offs between expanded empathy-based supports and sustainable public spending. A April 2025 engagement with Taoiseach Simon Harris and Minister Roderic O'Gorman involved disability organizations discussing implementation barriers in the Action Plan for Disability Services 2024-2026, revealing ongoing tensions in balancing immediate needs with evidence-based resource allocation, as stakeholder demands often exceeded budgetary realism. These sessions, while fostering dialogue, highlighted causal challenges in policy delivery, where empathetic commitments risked straining finite funds without proportional outcome improvements.

Budgetary contributions and fiscal allocations

In her capacity as Minister of State for Disability, Anne Rabbitte delivered key budgetary speeches advocating for substantial fiscal expansions in specialist disability services. For Budget 2025, she detailed an allocation of €3.2 billion, an increase of €336 million (11.6%) over 2024 revised estimates, surpassing €3 billion for the first time and reflecting a cumulative €1.2 billion rise since her 2020 appointment. This funding supported targeted enhancements, including €50 million for additional respite and home support hours, €40 million for new residential placements, and €30 million to address therapy backlogs, amid broader pressures from demographic growth in service demand. Prior allocations showed steady escalation: €2.8 billion base for 2024 services (with €195 million added), building on €2.9 billion revised for that year including €272 million extra for community-based supports. Rabbitte emphasized efficiencies within these envelopes, such as €23 million allocated for projects, encompassing transitions from congregated settings and new builds. Notable implementations included sod-turning ceremonies for modular day service units, as at Ability West in Portumna in December 2024, aimed at rapid deployment to meet immediate needs while containing costs relative to traditional . These initiatives sought to optimize use, with modular approaches projected to accelerate timelines and reduce per-unit expenditures compared to full-scale developments, though data remains pending HSE execution. Despite these increments, Rabbitte voiced internal critiques on fiscal , noting that investments—reaching €2.1 billion by —had not fully materialized into frontline services to Health Service Executive () bureaucratic and reallocations treating funds as a contingency for other overruns. External opposition, including from Democrats leader , argued the 2024 uplift fell short of inflation-adjusted needs, potentially exacerbating waitlists without productivity-linked reforms. Such expansions occurred against Ireland's cost-of-living strains, where unchecked in entitlements risked fiscal absent verifiable ties to outcome improvements, as evidenced by persistent service gaps despite per-service-user spending rising implicitly with a client base exceeding 100,000 across HSE programs.

Controversies and criticisms

2023 physical attack and security concerns

On 4 2023, during a meeting in , , concerning local opposition to a proposed digester , threw a bag of cow dung towards Anne Rabbitte, then serving as Minister of State for Disability, while she attended alongside Fine Gael TD Ciarán Cannon. The incident stemmed from farmer discontent with government-backed environmental regulations and the plant's potential effects on agricultural operations, amid broader rural protests against EU-derived farming restrictions perceived as economically burdensome. Baldwin, aged 39 from Ballyaneen, Gort, was convicted of assault and breaching the peace by Judge Alec Gabbett at Ennis District Court on 2 October 2024, following Rabbitte's testimony that she feared for her safety and felt the "line was crossed" in political discourse. On 18 December 2024, he received a suspended three-month prison sentence, replaced by 60 hours of community service, with the judge noting Baldwin's lack of prior convictions but emphasizing the act's unacceptability. In response, Rabbitte described herself as "horrified beyond ," curtailing engagements due to fears and highlighting a perceived in threats against politicians, particularly women in rural areas where disputes over and emissions rules tensions. measures followed, including Gardaí to TDs for alarms and courthouse protections ahead of Baldwin's , amid concerns over incidents in an of intensifying farmer-government rather than isolated personal animus. While coverage emphasized the gendered vulnerability of female politicians, causal analysis points to underlying grievances—such as regulatory pressures on small farms—as primary drivers, with outlets potentially overemphasizing victimhood at the expense of addressing regulatory overreach's role in eroding trust.

Policy and political critiques

Criticisms from advocates centered on persistent failures to meet under Rabbitte's tenure, particularly long waiting times for assessments of need (AONs) and for children. By late , approximately 4,000 children with disabilities remained in "waiting list ," with quarterly indicating over on despite initiatives like the €7.8 million Sláintecare fund announced in to backlogs. In , Rabbitte expressed with in rolling out early hubs, which were intended to reduce wait times but faced bureaucratic hurdles, leaving families without timely interventions. A notable example involved a March 2025 Dáil revelation that a €3.6 million emergency funding promise for a child with cerebral palsy, made days before local elections in June 2024, remained undelivered, prompting accusations of using vulnerable individuals as political props. Fiscal conservatives and efficiency advocates highlighted empirical policy shortcomings, arguing that substantial budget expansions masked underlying state overreach and wasteful allocation rather than outcomes. Disability services by €1.2 billion since , yet critics noted the sector's as a "" for reallocations when other areas overspent, undermining targeted . In , millions in went unspent to HSE , with Rabbitte herself decrying the agency's that projects despite allocations like €15.6 million the year. and allocations drew ire for insufficient forward , with parents and organizations like the Disability Federation of Ireland labeling them insulting amid ongoing unmet needs, suggesting inflated spending failed to address root causes like HSE monopoly control over services. These delivery failures were attributed to systemic reliance on centralized state mechanisms, with calls for reforms like removing HSE oversight and advancing personalized budgets to empower individuals over institutional gatekeeping. Advocates argued such shifts could mitigate empirical shortfalls, as evidenced by stalled legislative progress on radical deinstitutionalization despite Rabbitte's support for UN Convention-aligned initiatives. In defense, Rabbitte pointed to tangible expansions, including €23 million in 2024 for de-congregation and services—up 47% from 2023—and the 2023-2026 , which reformed community-based provisions to counter claims of wholesale . Data from these efforts showed progress in targeted areas, such as reimbursing clinicians to accelerate AONs for longest-waiting families in 2024, debunking narratives of inaction while acknowledging HSE bottlenecks as inherited structural issues rather than policy design flaws.

Personal life and public persona

Family and resilience

Anne Rabbitte became a widow in February 2011 following the sudden death of her , Callan, when their three children—Fiachra, , and Aoibhinn—were aged 6, 8, and 10, respectively. She raised the children as a single parent, managing household responsibilities without emphasizing dependency on state support or external aid in accounts of her circumstances. Rabbitte has described her approach to family life post-widowhood as one of practical perseverance, continuing daily conversations about her late with her children as a means of while maintaining forward . During the , she balanced two school-aged children and supporting a third in college, underscoring her capacity for self-directed management of demands alongside professional commitments. Self-identifying as a "tough old ," Rabbitte frames her resilience as rooted in innate and self-reliance, entering public life later in her without spousal and attributing to personal fortitude rather than relational or societal crutches. This , drawn from navigating early hardships, informs a prioritizing over victim-oriented interpretations of adversity.

Experiences with political abuse

Anne Rabbitte has encountered a pattern of verbal threats and harassment throughout her political , including a 2020 social media message directing her to "hang herself," which she publicly highlighted as part of broader concerns over politician well-being. In May 2021, she detailed a late-night anonymous phone call in which the caller repeated "hang yourself," framing such incidents as escalations from routine political criticism into personal intimidation, though not unprecedented in adversarial discourse. These experiences prompted her advocacy for enhanced mental health supports for elected officials, while underscoring that threats often stem from policy disputes rather than detached ideological animus. In the aftermath of such verbal abuse, Rabbitte and other Irish politicians have benefited from heightened security protocols, including Garda assessments for personal protection, amid a reported uptick in incidents necessitating intervention; for instance, Oireachtas data indicate that 73% of parliamentary staff surveyed in 2024 experienced some form of threat or harassment, leading to formalized threat management units. Local representatives like Rabbitte, serving rural constituencies such as Galway East, face amplified exposure due to direct community interactions, where policy positions on issues like agriculture or social services can provoke immediate backlash; Association of Irish Local Government surveys reveal councillors encounter frequent intimidation at public meetings, contrasting with urban TDs' primary online vectors, though comprehensive rural-urban comparative statistics remain limited. Media portrayals frequently attribute such to systemic , yet empirical patterns suggest causal to specific political stances, with intensifying around budgetary or decisions rather than alone—evident in Rabbitte's case, where threats correlated with her ministerial oversight of contentious allocations. Rabbitte's , including her re-election in 2020 and sustained until 2024, exemplifies against these pressures, rejecting narratives of inherent and prioritizing empirical over amplified claims lacking disaggregated causal .

References

  1. [1]
    Senator Anne Rabbitte - Fianna Fáil
    Hailing from Portumna, Co. Galway, Anne entered politics in 2014 when she was elected to Galway County Council for Fianna Fáil. Two years later, in 2016, she ...Missing: biography | Show results with:biography
  2. [2]
    Anne Rabbitte – Houses of the Oireachtas
    Anne Rabbitte, Panel Nominated by the Taoiseach, Party Fianna Fáil, House 27th Seanad (2025 - ), Contact details Davis St, Athenry, Co. Galway.Missing: biography | Show results with:biography
  3. [3]
    Profile: Anne Rabbitte (FF) - The Irish Times
    Feb 27, 2016 · A widow and mother of three, Rabbitte has worked for Bank of Ireland for the past 15 years. She is the chairwoman of the Galway County Council finance ...Missing: biography | Show results with:biography
  4. [4]
    Anne Rabbitte says disabilities is the 'Cinderella' within Department ...
    Jul 30, 2022 · In April, Rabbitte publicly accused senior health service management of blocking her from attending meetings with regional disability services ...Missing: achievements | Show results with:achievements
  5. [5]
    Man who threw bag of cow dung at former minister Anne Rabbitte ...
    Dec 18, 2024 · A man who threw a bag of cow dung at then government minister Anne Rabbitte has been handed a community service order in lieu of a three-month sentence.Missing: achievements | Show results with:achievements
  6. [6]
    Anne Rabbitte Biography: Age, Net Worth, Instagram, Spouse ...
    Anne Rabbitte was born on October 11, 1973 in Portumna, Ireland. She was raised by her parents, whose names are unknown but are referred to as Mr. and Mrs.
  7. [7]
    'Women in politics need fire in belly, not a husband' - Rabbitte
    Jan 6, 2019 · Ms Rabbitte's husband, Paddy Callan, died in 2011. She has three children: Fiachra (17), Caoimhe (15) and Aoibhinn (13). Ms Rabbitte was a full- ...Missing: background | Show results with:background
  8. [8]
    Anne Rabbitte: A self-described 'tough old bird' unafraid to change ...
    Sep 12, 2022 · The Minister of State for Disabilities tells the 'Irish Examiner' how she coped with the death of her husband, her cost-of-living concerns, ...
  9. [9]
    About Me | Annerabbitte
    Proud to now serve as Senator Anne Rabbitte in Seanad Éireann after being first elected to the Dáil in 2016 and re-elected in 2020.
  10. [10]
    Senator Anne Rabbitte | LinkedIn - LinkedIn
    Senator at Seanad Éireann. Spokesperson for Social Protection A member of the Housing, Justice, Social Protection and Traveler Committees. Former Minister ...Missing: biography | Show results with:biography
  11. [11]
    Launch of Towards Work
    Anne worked for 25 years for a financial institution and is a qualified financial adviser. For 3 years, Anne ran a community childcare facility. Minister ...
  12. [12]
    Election Profiles: Anne Rabbitte TD 'hops' on the Fianna Fáil ticket
    May 7, 2019 · Ms Rabbitte worked for 25 years in financial institutions and is a qualified financial adviser. For three years, she ran a community ...
  13. [13]
    Anne Rabbitte - ElectionsIreland.org
    Local, Fianna Fail lozenge, Elected, Loughrea, 3, 4, 1,729, 10.64%, 0.96. 2016, 32nd Dáil, Fianna Fail lozenge, Elected, Galway East, 2, 6, 6,928, 15.31%, 0.61.
  14. [14]
    Rabbitte to ensure voice of Portumna is heard - Galway Advertiser
    Galway County Council's newest councilor Anne Rabbitte has vowed to ensure that the voice of Portumna is heard in the council chambers.
  15. [15]
    Flames burn brighter for Fianna Fáil at local level - The Irish Times
    Jul 30, 2022 · Galway East had quickly established itself as Fianna Fáil heartland. Fahy was at the beginning of an unbroken tradition of Fianna Fáil TDs ...
  16. [16]
    [PDF] Women and the election: Assessing the impact of gender quotas
    gender quota following the completion of selection conventions. From the outset many predicted that Fianna Fáil would have an easier experience in implementing ...
  17. [17]
    32nd Dáil - Galway East First Preference Votes - ElectionsIreland.org
    General Election: 26 February 2016 · Gaillimh Thoir · Galway Area (Connaught) ...
  18. [18]
    [PDF] 32nd Dáil General Election – February 2016 - Oireachtas Data API
    Page 1. DÁIL ÉIREANN. 32nd DÁIL. GENERAL ELECTION. 26 February 2016. Election Results. An 32ú DÁIL. OLLTOGHCHÁN. 26 Feabhra 2016. Torthaí an Toghcháin ...
  19. [19]
    We now have more female TDs than ever before - The Journal
    Mar 1, 2016 · Anne Rabbitte (Fianna Fáil) – first female TD in Galway East since 1977 ... Voters voted Waterford who wished to vote Fianna Fail could only vote ...
  20. [20]
    Dáil Éireann debate - Friday, 6 May 2016 - Oireachtas
    May 6, 2016 · The election represented an overwhelming rejection of the Fine Gael-Labour Party Government, its policies and its hyper-political behaviour.Missing: post- | Show results with:post-
  21. [21]
    Galway East results - Election 2016
    Seán Canney IA 12,707; Anne Rabbitte FF 12,255; Ciaran Cannon* FG 10,157. Máiréad Ni Chroinin GP 769; Aengus Melia DDI 489; Michael Fahy Ind 2,418 ...<|separator|>
  22. [22]
    Disabilities Minister Anne Rabbitte loses her seat in Galway East
    Dec 1, 2024 · Fianna Fail Minister of State Anne Rabbitte in Government Buildings for a post budget press conference. ... anne rabbitte Fianna Fáil Galway East ...
  23. [23]
    Gambling Control Bill 2018: Second Stage [Private Members] – Dáil ...
    May 9, 2018 · As Members will be aware, this legislation was introduced to the House by my colleague, Deputy Rabbitte, on 21 February last. I commend Deputy ...
  24. [24]
    [PDF] UCD Impact Case Study Playing Social Roulette
    This research has been directly applied to the content of new legislation in Ireland, with the. Private Member's Bill, the Gambling Control Bill 2018, which.
  25. [25]
    Seanad Éireann: Irish government confirm eleven nominees ... - BBC
    Feb 7, 2025 · The leaders of the new Irish coalition government confirm 11 nominees to Seanad Éireann (Irish Senate).
  26. [26]
    Senate Elections 2025 [DRAFT COPY] | Annerabbitte
    Anne Rabbitte. Fighting for Real Change in Seanad Éireann. Committed to Crafting Effective Legislation That Serves All Irish Citizens. Legislative Agenda 2025.Missing: assignments | Show results with:assignments
  27. [27]
    Seanad Éireann - Electoral Commission
    The Seanad can amend a Bill that has been passed by the Dáil and delay, but not stop, it becoming law. Senators can also introduce their own Bills, which are ...Missing: influence vetoes
  28. [28]
    Houses of the Oireachtas - Committees
    Committees for Ann Graves. Committee on Drugs Use · Anne Rabbitte. Fianna Fáil. Anne Rabbitte. Nominated by the Taoiseach. Committees for Anne Rabbitte.
  29. [29]
    Minister of State Appointments - Government of Ireland
    Jul 1, 2020 · Following the formal reconfiguration of departments, Minister of State Rabbitte will be assigned to the Department of Children, Disability, ...
  30. [30]
    Minister Rabbitte welcomes increased investment in residential ...
    Jun 18, 2024 · “I have fought for, and secured, additional funding every year since being appointed Minister for Disability in 2020. The Action Plan for ...
  31. [31]
    News - Access and Inclusion Model
    Minister of State with responsibility for Disability, Anne Rabbitte TD, today convened the first meeting of the Autism Innovation Strategy Oversight and ...Missing: initiatives | Show results with:initiatives
  32. [32]
    New Report Shows Positive Impact Of Early Years Access And ...
    Jan 23, 2024 · New report shows positive impact of Early Years Access and Inclusion Model · 82% of parents reported that AIM has benefited their child; and · 69% ...Missing: State | Show results with:State
  33. [33]
    Disability Minister Anne Rabbitte 'extremely frustrated' with HSE ...
    May 24, 2023 · She said the HSE has cited issues with procurement and capacity as causes for the delay. “I've over 10,000 children needing an assessment of ...Missing: criticisms shortfalls
  34. [34]
    Disability organisations still waiting 20 months after funding ...
    Jul 10, 2025 · “This government has announced this funding on three separate occasions. Each time promises have disappeared without a trace. No follow-through.
  35. [35]
    Disability funding used as 'piggy bank' when other areas run out of ...
    Dec 28, 2023 · Ms Rabbitte, in an interview with The Irish Times, was also critical of how the disability budget is treated. The Department of Health used ...
  36. [36]
    Children still left waiting for public disability services - The Journal
    Jun 3, 2022 · Parents devastated as one-quarter of staff roles in new disability network teams remain unfilled and children left in limbo.
  37. [37]
    Two Nurse Specialist Posts for Huntingtons Disease
    ... Disability Anne Rabbitte in Budget 2023. Together with the rollout of pathways and initiatives for the management of headache, epilepsy and motor neurone ...Missing: Portumna | Show results with:Portumna
  38. [38]
    Meeting hears of “devastating impact” of Huntington's on families
    Oct 2, 2022 · Galway East TD Anne Rabbitte met with families affected by the disease at the Huntington's Disease Association of Ireland annual meeting in ...
  39. [39]
    Senator Anne Rabbitte's Post - LinkedIn
    Dec 30, 2024 · Thank you for your wonderful support with Portumna and many other projects of support for disability services. Like · Reply.Missing: initiatives Huntington's disease
  40. [40]
    [PDF] Gambling Regulation Bill 2022 - Oireachtas Data API
    Dec 15, 2022 · The Gambling Regulation Bill 2022 provides for the following: • the creation of a new Gambling Regulatory Authority to oversee the licensing ...
  41. [41]
    Online bookies to pay for gambling addiction fund - Law Society
    Jun 10, 2018 · A private members' bill on gambling control, sponsored by TDs Jim O'Callaghan, Jack Chambers and Anne Rabbitte, is not being opposed by the ...
  42. [42]
    Gambling Regulation & Addiction Legislation - Facebook
    Oct 25, 2019 · This will update limits on stakes that can be placed, as well as standardising the minimum gambling age at 18. Regrettably, this won't bring ...
  43. [43]
    Ministers Roderic O' Gorman And Anne Rabbitte Host Pre-Estimates ...
    Jul 20, 2024 · The event saw over 80 delegates come together to discuss priorities and proposals for Budget 2025. They included members of Disabled Persons' ...Missing: meetings groups
  44. [44]
    Taoiseach Simon Harris, Minister Roderic O'Gorman and Minister of ...
    Apr 12, 2025 · Minister of State for Disability Anne Rabbitte said: “It's great to once again sit down with disability groups and organisations. ... 2025.
  45. [45]
    Minister O'Gorman and Minister of State Anne Rabbitte meet ...
    May 22, 2024 · The Action Plan aims to grow capacity in specialist disability services as well as reform the model of service delivery with a focus on sustainability.
  46. [46]
    Minister Anne Rabbitte Speech - Budget 2025
    Oct 1, 2024 · I am delighted to have the opportunity to provide more details on the allocation for specialist disability services in 2025, which amounts to €3.2 billion.
  47. [47]
    Ministers Roderic O' Gorman and Anne Rabbitte host pre-Estimates ...
    Jul 18, 2024 · Ministers Roderic O' Gorman and Anne Rabbitte host pre-Estimates forum for disability services. From: Department of Children, Disability and ...
  48. [48]
    Minister Rabbitte Welcomes Substantial Investment Under Budget ...
    Oct 23, 2023 · An additional €195m will be invested in Disability Services for 2024, bringing total investment to €2.8bn. Funding will be directed towards the ...Missing: speech | Show results with:speech
  49. [49]
    Minister of State for Disabilities, Anne Rabbitte, announces €23m ...
    Jul 11, 2024 · Minister of State for Disabilities, Anne Rabbitte, announces €23m funding for disability capital projects in 2024 ... Disability Services, 2024- ...Missing: speech | Show results with:speech
  50. [50]
    Anne Rabbitte: Massive disability investment not translating to services
    May 6, 2022 · The vast majority of the €2.1 billion for disabilities had largely focused on the provision of residential places and day services.Missing: criticisms efficiency
  51. [51]
    Criticism over Budget allocation for disability services - RTE
    Oct 12, 2023 · The leader of the Social Democrats has criticised the allocation of money for disability services in Budget 2024.Missing: efficiency | Show results with:efficiency
  52. [52]
    Disability Services – Thursday, 24 Oct 2024 - Oireachtas
    Oct 24, 2024 · A total of €3.2 billion has been allocated for Disability Services in Budget 2025, an increase of €336m (11.6%) on 2024 and represents an ...
  53. [53]
    Overview of people engaging with disability services, 2024 | HRB
    Jun 11, 2025 · In 2024, 34,652 adults engaged with disability services, with 6,219 aged 18-24, 12,115 aged 40-59, and 19,261 with intellectual disabilities. 1 ...Missing: capita | Show results with:capita
  54. [54]
    Galway farmer found guilty of assault in cow dung case - RTE
    Oct 2, 2024 · A farmer from Co Galway has been convicted of assault by throwing a bag of cow dung at TD Anne Rabbitte at a public meeting in January 2023.<|separator|>
  55. [55]
    Co Galway farmer convicted of assault after throwing cow dung ...
    Oct 2, 2024 · A Co Galway farmer has been convicted of assaulting Minister of State Anne Rabbitte by throwing a bag of cow dung towards her at a public meeting last year.Missing: attacked | Show results with:attacked
  56. [56]
    Farmer walks free over 'cow dung' assault on then Junior Minister ...
    Dec 18, 2024 · The south Galway farmer who threw a bag of cow dung in the direction of then Junior Minister Anne Rabbitte of Fianna Fáil at a public meeting has escaped a ...
  57. [57]
    Minister Anne Rabbitte weeps in court as she recounts having cow ...
    Sep 13, 2024 · Junior Minister Anne Rabbitte has wept in court as she recalled a man throwing a bag of cow dung towards her at a public meeting.Missing: attacked | Show results with:attacked
  58. [58]
    Minister says 'line was crossed' after judge convicts Galway farmer ...
    Oct 2, 2024 · Judge Alec Gabbett found Joseph Baldwin guilty of the assault of Minister Anne Rabbitte at a public meeting in Gort on January 4th 2023 and ...
  59. [59]
    Man gets community service for throwing cow dung at ex-TD - RTE
    Dec 19, 2024 · A farmer who was convicted of assaulting former TD Anne Rabbitte by throwing a bag of cow dung at her has been given a community service order in lieu of a ...Missing: attacked | Show results with:attacked
  60. [60]
    Anne Rabbitte 'horrified beyond belief' after cow dung attack
    Feb 19, 2023 · Galway East TD has curtailed the number of public events she attends since a bag of excrement was thrown at her at a meeting in January.
  61. [61]
    Junior Minister tells court she 'didn't feel safe' after cow dung thrown ...
    Sep 13, 2024 · In the case, south Galway farmer Joseph Baldwin (39) of Ballyaneen, Gort denies assaulting Anne Rabbitte on 4 January 2023 at the public meeting ...Missing: attacked | Show results with:attacked
  62. [62]
    TDs advised to get panic alarms for safety - Breaking News
    Jan 10, 2023 · Speaking after the attack on Ms Rabbitte and Mr Cannon, Minister for Justice Simon Harris said: “Any assault or attack on anybody in this ...
  63. [63]
    Security concerns raised ahead of case of alleged 'cow dung ...
    May 9, 2024 · Security concerns raised ahead of case of alleged 'cow dung' assault on junior minister. Farmer accused of assaulting Minister Anne Rabbitte ...Missing: attack | Show results with:attack
  64. [64]
    Anne Rabbitte feared for her safety after 'bag of sh*t' thrown at her
    Jan 5, 2023 · Both TDs tweeted after the incident, with Deputy Cannon suggesting ... Anne Rabbitte Ciarán Cannon Excrement Excrement Attack Gort. Most ...Missing: security | Show results with:security
  65. [65]
    'I Feared For My Safety' -- TDs Tell Of Cow Excrement Attack Shock ...
    TDs tell of cow excrement attack shock as Gardaí launch investigation. Brian Mahon. 07/01/2023.
  66. [66]
    4000 children with disabilities in waiting list limbo
    Dec 15, 2021 · “The Minister for Disability, Anne Rabbitte, speaking in the Seanad on 9th November[1] referenced the latest quarterly HSE data which indicates ...Missing: targets | Show results with:targets
  67. [67]
    Ministers Donnelly and Rabbitte announce €7.8 million Sláintecare ...
    Sep 10, 2020 · This measure is targeted to support children and families who are currently experiencing long waiting times for an Assessment of Need and it ...Missing: unmet targets
  68. [68]
    Child with cerebral palsy 'used as prop' for minister's unfulfilled cash ...
    Mar 20, 2025 · The minister, Anne Rabbitte, announced the Children's Disability Service Grant, supposedly an emergency stopgap to urgently provide services and ...
  69. [69]
    Disabilities minister expresses anger at HSE capital funding
    May 24, 2023 · Disabilities Minister Anne Rabbitte has vented frustration with the HSE over "bureaucracy" that means that millions of euro in funding ...
  70. [70]
    Parents of children with disabilities 'insulted' by budget, says Cork ...
    Oct 13, 2024 · Parents of children with disabilities "do not feel seen" by Budget 2025 with many left “insulted” by the lack of forward planning, ...Missing: fiscal criticism
  71. [71]
    Response to Budget 2023 - Disability Federation of Ireland
    Sep 29, 2022 · Disability Services Funding. DFI are writing to Minister Anne Rabbitte to seek clarity on the disability funding in Budget 2023. In ...Missing: efficiency | Show results with:efficiency
  72. [72]
    Minister Rabbitte must remove the HSE from Disability Services in ...
    Jan 27, 2024 · The time has come for the Government to remove the HSE from providing services for people with disabilities -the Minister for disabilities ...
  73. [73]
    Disability (Personalised Budgets)...: 25 Jun 2025: Seanad debates ...
    Jun 25, 2025 · This legislation seeks to amend and extend the Disability Act 2005 in a meaningful way to make it a legal obligation for the State to provide ...
  74. [74]
    Will you be RADICAL? - Ideas in ALL
    Our aim is to encourage legislators, and particularly the Minister for Disability, Anne Rabbitte, to begin the long-overdue process of legislative reform in ...
  75. [75]
    Minister Roderic O' Gorman and Minister Anne Rabbitte welcome ...
    Jul 26, 2023 · The Action Plan represents a key step in the expansion and reform of specialist community-based disability services.
  76. [76]
    Minister Rabbitte secures government funding to accelerate an ...
    May 21, 2024 · The waiting list initiative will target those families waiting longest for AONs, with the HSE reimbursing clinicians directly through the ...Missing: unmet | Show results with:unmet
  77. [77]
    Speech by Anne Rabbitte TD, Minister of State for Disability at the ...
    Apr 13, 2024 · Since taking up role as Minister for Disability in 2020, I've secured record breaking funding for Disability Services. It has increased from ...Missing: Huntington's disease Portumna
  78. [78]
    The most wonderful time of the year? Four women on how they cope ...
    Dec 15, 2019 · Anne's husband Paddy Callan passed away in February 2011. At the time the couple's three children were 6, 8 and 10. She is TD for Galway East ...<|separator|>
  79. [79]
    Fianna Fail TD Anne Rabbitte opens up on grief after sudden death ...
    Mar 29, 2021 · I'm here telling you I'm a widow with three kids, two going to school, home schooling and another lad in college. Article continues below ...Missing: single mother
  80. [80]
    Fianna Fail minister told to 'hang herself' in vile social media threat
    Nov 6, 2020 · Fianna Fail minister Anne Rabbitte told to 'hang herself' in vile social media threat. Exclusive: Anne Rabbitte has called for well-being ...Missing: rural | Show results with:rural
  81. [81]
    Minister Anne Rabbitte: 'The voice at the end of the line told me to ...
    May 2, 2021 · Anne Rabbitte is a Fianna Fáil TD for Galway East since 2016. She is currently the Minister of State with responsibility for Disabilities.Missing: controversies | Show results with:controversies
  82. [82]
    [PDF] Report on the Abuse and Harassment of Members of the Houses of ...
    May 15, 2024 · ... political staff who responded to the survey reported that they experienced some form of threat, harassment, abuse or violence. • 73% of the ...
  83. [83]
    [PDF] Report following councillor survey on threats, harassment ... - AILG
    The AILG was aware that an increasing number of councillors are being subjected to abuse, threats and public intimidation, undermining the principles of free ...
  84. [84]
    Abuse and harassment of Irish politicians commonplace, new study ...
    May 16, 2024 · ... abuse, such as slurs, threats of sexual violence, sexual harassment, and comments on their physical appearance. The survey, distributed to ...