Kathleen O'Meara

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Kathleen O'Meara (born 24 January 1960) is an Irish politician and member of the 21st and 22nd Seanads for the Labour Party in the Ireland. On both occasions she was elected by the Agricultural Panel.

A triplet, and the identical twin of journalist Aileen O'Meara, she is a graduate of Dublin City University. Before entering politics, she was an RTÉ journalist.

At the 1997 general election, O'Meara was an unsuccessful candidate for the 28th Dáil in the constituency of Tipperary North. In the 1999 local elections, she was elected to Nenagh Town Council.^[1] She was a candidate again for Dáil Éireann in the 2002 general election, increasing her share of the vote from 10.3% to 13.5%, but again failing to be elected to the 29th Dáil.^[1]

O'Meara was embroiled in controversy in 2005, when it was revealed in the Sunday Tribune^[2] that she had used the facilities of Dáil Éireann to hold meetings to promote Landmark Education, an organisation which the French Government has described as 'Cult like'. She continues to lead introductory meetings despite the controversy. Former Labour Leader Ruairi Quinn and Fianna Fáil controversial TD Jim McDaid have both taken part in Landmark courses. One of the Labour Councillors on the Town Council in Nenagh, Sandra Farrell, is also involved with the Landmark Forum.

She was an unsuccessful candidate in 2007 general election for Tipperary North, getting 10.3% of the vote. She did not contest the Seanad elections in 2007.

[edit] Sources and notes

• This page incorporates information from this member's entry in the Oireachtas Members Database

[edit] External links

• Kathleen O'Meara's page on the Labour Party website
• Kathleen O'Meara's electoral history (ElectionsIreland.org)

[edit] See also

• Werner Erhard
• Parliamentary Commission about Cults in France
• List of groups referred to as cults

v • d • e « 21st Seanad «   Members of the 22nd Seanad Éireann (2002–2007)   » 23rd Seanad » Cathaoirleach Rory Kiely (FF)    •   Leader of the Seanad Mary O'Rourke (FF) Administrative Panel Timmy Dooley (FF) • Frank Feighan (FG) • Camillus Glynn (FF) • Tony Kett (FF) • Joe McHugh (FG) • Joanna Tuffy (Lab) • Diarmuid Wilson (FF) Agricultural Panel Paul Bradford (FG) • Paddy Burke (FG) • Ulick Burke (FG) • Peter Callanan (FF) • Rory Kiely (FF) • Martin Mansergh (FF) • Francis O'Brien (FF) • Kathleen O'Meara (Lab) • John Paul Phelan (FG) • Eamon Scanlon (FF) • Jim Walsh (FF) Cultural & Educational Panel Noel Coonan (FG) • Brian Hayes (FG) • Paschal Mooney (FF) • Labhrás Ó Murchú (FF) • Ann Ormonde (FF) Industrial & Commercial Panel James Bannon (FG) • Eddie Bohan (FF) • Paul Coghlan (FG) • Margaret Cox (Ind) • Marc MacSharry (FF) • Derek McDowell (Lab) • Kieran Phelan (FF) • Sheila Terry (FG) • Mary White (FF) Labour Panel Fergal Browne (FG) • Maurice Cummins (FG) • Brendan Daly (FF) • Geraldine Feeney (FF) • Michael Finucane (FG) • Liam Fitzgerald (FF) • John Gerard Hanafin (FF) • Jim Higgins (FG) • Terry Leyden (FF) • Don Lydon (FF) • Michael McCarthy (Lab) National University of Ireland Joe O'Toole (Ind) • Feargal Quinn (Ind) • Brendan Ryan (Lab) University of Dublin Mary Henry (Ind) • David Norris (Ind) • Shane Ross (Ind) Nominated by the Taoiseach (2002) Cyprian Brady (FF) • Michael Brennan (PD) • John Dardis (PD) • Maurice Hayes (Ind) • Brendan Kenneally (FF) • Michael P. Kitt (FF) • John Minihan (PD) • Tom Morrissey (PD) • Pat Moylan (FF) • Mary O'Rourke (FF) • Kate Walsh (PD) Nominated later May 2007 Colm O'Gorman (PD) • June 2007 Donie Cassidy (FF) • Chris Wall (FF) • Seán Dorgan (FF) • Peter Sands (FF) FF: Fianna Fáil • FG: Fine Gael • Lab: Labour Party • PD: Progressive Democrats • Ind: Independent

v • d • e « 20th Seanad «   Members of the 21st Seanad Éireann (1997–2002) » 22nd Seanad » Cathaoirleach Brian Mullooly (FF)  • Leader of the Seanad Donie Cassidy (FF) Administrative Panel Fintan Coogan, Jnr (FG) • Joe Costello (Lab) • Joe Doyle (FG) • Michael Finneran (FF) • Camillus Glynn (FF) • Tony Kett (FF) • Fergus O'Dowd (FG) Agricultural Panel Paddy Burke (FG) • Peter Callanan (FF) • John Connor (FG) • Avril Doyle (FG) • Tom Hayes (FG) • Rory Kiely (FF) • Patrick McGowan (FF) • Pat Moylan (FF) • Francis O'Brien (FF) • Kathleen O'Meara (Lab) • Jim Walsh (FF) Cultural & Educational Panel Maurice Manning (FG) • Paschal Mooney (FF) • Labhrás Ó Murchú (FF) • Ann Ormonde (FF) • Madeleine Taylor-Quinn (FG) Industrial & Commercial Panel Eddie Bohan (FF) • Ernie Caffery (FG) • Paul Coghlan (FG) • Liam T. Cosgrave (FG) • Margaret Cox (FF) • William Farrell (FF) • Pat Gallagher (Lab) • Mick Lanigan (FF) • Denis O'Donovan (FF) Labour Panel Donie Cassidy (FF) • Denis Cregan (FG) • Liam Fitzgerald (FF) • Des Hanafin (FF) • Mary Jackman (FG) • Dan Kiely (FF) • Don Lydon (FF) • Jarlath McDonagh (FG) • Brian Mullooly (FF) • Therese Ridge (FG) • Seán Ryan (Lab) National University of Ireland Joe O'Toole (Ind) • Feargal Quinn (Ind) • Brendan Ryan (Ind) University of Dublin Mary Henry (Ind) • David Norris (Ind) • Shane Ross (Ind) Nominated by the Taoiseach Enda Bonner (FF) • Frank Chambers (FF) • John Dardis (PD) • Tom Fitzgerald (FF) • Dermot Fitzpatrick (FF) • Jim Gibbons, Jnr (PD) • Edward Haughey (FF) • Maurice Hayes (Ind) • Helen Keogh (PD) • Ann Leonard (FF) • Máirín Quill (PD) Elected or nominated later 1998 John Cregan (FF) • 2001 M. J. Nolan (FF) • 2000 Seán Ó Fearghaíl (FF) • Jim Glennon (FF) • 2002 Martin Mackin (Ind) •  Mary O'Rourke (FF) FF: Fianna Fáil • FG: Fine Gael • Lab: Labour Party • PD: Progressive Democrats • Ind: Independent