Senator Nicole Ryan vows to be a strong voice in the Oireachtas for young people, women, and people suffering from addiction

Newly-elected Sinn Féin Senator Nicole Ryan has vowed to be a strong voice in the Oireachtas for young people, women and people suffering from addiction.

Seanadóir Ryan was this evening elected to the Seanad from the administrative panel having spent the last eight years running a successful drug education social enterprise, educating over 13,000 post-primary students nationwide on the dangers of substance abuse.

A passionate advocate of women’s health, access to affordable, decent, and adequate housing and living conditions, Ms Ryan was a General Election candidate for Sinn Féin in Cork North West, winning 5,452 first-preference votes, a breakthrough record in the constituency which has never had a Sinn Féin TD.

Seanadóir Ryan said:

“I am absolutely thrilled to be elected to Seanad. It is an absolute honour that I will now be able to bring my work standing up for young people, women, and people suffering from addiction, to the Oireachtas.

“I want to thank everybody who voted for me – all the TDs, councillors and outgoing Senators. But in particular, I want to thank the thousands of people in Cork North-West who voted for me in November’s General Election.

“While I missed out on being elected to the Dáil, it was a breakthrough election for Sinn Féin in Cork North-West with a record number of votes for the party in a constituency where we have never had a TD.

“I know that for the thousands of people who voted for me that the return of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael to government will be of great disappointment to them.

“But I can assure those voters that they now have a strong Sinn Féin voice in Leinster House who will go toe to toe with the government from day one.

“Sinn Féin will continue to have your back, and we will work to build an Ireland that is fairer, united, and more equal; to achieve a new era where workers, families and communities come first.

“I am really excited and looking forward to the challenge ahead and I want to play my part in ensuring that the people I represent, and whose values I share, will have a strong progressive, young voice fighting their corner at every turn.”