Senator Susan O'Keeffe
Susan O’Keeffe is the Labour Party Senator for Sligo North Leitrim. Susan is Agriculture spokesperson in the Seanad.
Prior to becoming a public representative Susan was an outstanding campaigning journalist, whose pursuit of the truth exposed corruption in corporate Ireland. She lives in Sligo with her husband and three children.
Susan working for you
Eamon Gilmore said “Susan O’Keeffe is a person of the highest integrity and remarkable courage with an outstanding record as a campaigning journalist. She is remembered in particular for the role she played in exposing mal-practices in the beef industry which ultimately led to the establishment of the Beef Tribunal. It is one of the more shameful episodes in the history of the state that despite all the revelations at the Tribunal, Susan was the only one who faced prosecution, as a result of her principled refusal to reveal her sources of information."
Susan has brought this integrity into her short career in politics to date.
Susan was a candidate in the European elections in 2009 and the general election in 2011 for Sligo North Leitrim. In both elections Susan achieved notable results in both election and was elected to Seanad Éireann in May 2011 on the Agricultural Panel. Since becoming Sligo North Leitrim first Labour Senator Susan has been working for the peole of Sligo and North Leitrim. Susan's work has focused on equality issues, mental health, agriculture, health and many more issues promoting Sligo and North Leitrim at every possible oppurtunity.
Core Beliefs
“My core beliefs of equality and fairness have driven all the work I have done as a journalist. By joining the Labour Party I will be able to direct these values towards building a more honest political system which favours, not just the brave, but the weak, the poor and the old. I want to contribute to building a fairer Ireland and a fairer Europe where working together means just that. As a member of Labour and following its proud tradition, I will continue to ask difficult questions of politicians and policy makers – whenever and wherever they need to be asked. And I will bring my experience of people, organisations, companies and politics to challenge and contribute to a renewed and stronger Ireland.”