11 Facts About Jan O'Sullivan

Jan O'Sullivan is an Irish former Labour Party politician who served as Minister for Education and Skills from 2014 to 2016 and as a Minister of State from 2011 to 2014.

Jan O'Sullivan served as a Teachta Dala for the Limerick City constituency from 2011 to 2020, and previously from 1998 to 2011 for the Limerick East constituency.

In 1982, Jan O'Sullivan joined the Democratic Socialist Party, a small party founded by Limerick TD Jim Kemmy, who had previously been a members of the Labour Party.

Jan O'Sullivan was elected to Limerick City Council in 1985, she served as a member of the Mid-Western Health Board from 1991 to 2003.

Jan O'Sullivan joined the Labour Party when the DSP merged with Labour in 1990, having been one of the DSP's negotiators in the merger discussions.

Jan O'Sullivan was unsuccessful again at the 1997 general election, but after Kemmy's death in September 1997, she was selected as the Labour Party candidate for the by-election in March 1998.

Jan O'Sullivan held the seat in a close three-way contest, becoming the first female TD from County Limerick since Kathleen O'Callaghan in 1921.

Jan O'Sullivan was re-elected at the 2002,2007 and 2011 general elections, and at the 1999 local elections became Limerick's first alderwoman.

Jan O'Sullivan retained her seat in the 2016 general election, one of only seven Labour TDs to be elected.

The party did not enter government, though Jan O'Sullivan retained her position as Minister for Education and Skills until talks on government formation had concluded and the formation of a new government on 6 May 2016.

Jan O'Sullivan lost her seat at the 2020 general election.