SF's Tully appointed Junior Spokesperson on Disability and Carers

Deputy Tully said of her appointment: 'This is a huge responsibility and I look forward to taking up this challenge'. Matt Carthy meanwhile has been appointed as Sinn Féin's spokesperson for agriculture and the marine in a new-look party frontbench team.

Cavan-Monaghan Sinn Féin TD Pauline Tully has been appointed her party's Junior Spokesperson on Disability and Carers.

The appointment, made earlier this week, places Deputy Tully working alongside fellow colleague Carlow-Kilkenny representative Kathleen Funchion, who made Mary Lou McDonald's front bench as senior spokesperson on Children, Disability, Equality and Integration.

In announcing her new role on social media, Deputy Tully said she was “eager to work along” with Deputy Funchion, and “keen to meet, listen and engage” with all sectoral groups as well as Coalition Government TD's for the brief at the Department of Children and Youth Affairs. They includce the newly appointed Minister for Children, Disability, Equality and Integration, and former law lecturer in DCU, the Green Party's Roderic O'Gorman, and Minister of State Anne Rabbitte (FF).

The Kilnaleck-native added of her appointment also: 'This is a huge responsibility and I look forward to taking up this challenge'.

A first-time TD, and mother to two boys, Deputy Tully was a Cavan County Councillor from 1999 to 2012, before taking a hiatus from politics up to her election to the Dáil last February.

In taking the brief she follows somewhat in the footsteps of former constituency representative, the now retired Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin, who served as TD for Cavan-Monaghan from 1997 to 2020.

Along with being leader of Sinn Féin in the Dáil, when for a period he was their only elected representative, Mr Ó Caoláin held a number of briefs including as spokesperson on Health and Children.

He also served as Chair of the Committee on Justice and Equality.

Meanwhile, Deputy Tully's present serving colleague in the constituency, Matt Carthy, has been appointed as Sinn Féin's spokesperson for agriculture and the marine in a new-look party frontbench team.

Deputy Carthy replaces Laois-Offaly's Brian Stanley in the role as agriculture spokesperson.

Former agriculture spokesperson Martin Kenny, from Sligo-Leitrim, is remaining in his current role as justice spokesperson.

As a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for the Midlands–North-West constituency from 2014 to 2020, Deputy Carthy was a member of the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee (AGRI) and the Special Committee on Financial Crimes, Tax Evasion and Tax Avoidance (TAX3). He was also a substitute member of the Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee (ECON) and Transport and Tourism Committee (TRAN).