Colette Kelleher - Independent
Colette is a hardworking advocate for people who are marginalised and vulnerable. Throughout her career in public service and politics she has mobilised positive social change in collaboration with others.
Raised in Macroom in County Cork, from an early age Colette has been passionate about social issues. She studied at University College Cork and University of Southampton. She holds an MBA and is a Certified Practioner in Consulting and Change with the Tavistock Institute.
Colette has championed children’s and women’s rights, strengthening the supports and protections for refugees, highlighting the issues affecting the Travelling community and promoting the need to do more for people with dementia and their carers.
Colette's Key Issues
These are just some of the key issues that Colette Kelleher works on. Find out more about each issue, her background and interest in each of them.
Latest News
Submission to the Law Reform Commission on Adult Safeguarding
Submission to Law Reform Commission on Adult Safeguarding
Motion on the Seanad Public Consultation Committee’s Report on Travellers Towards A More Equitable Ireland Post Recognition
As rapporteur I am delighted that today a motion has been put forward stating that Seanad Éireann notes the Seanad Public Consultation Committee’s Report on Travellers Towards A More Equitable...
Submission to the Citizens’ Assembly on Gender Equality
Citizens Assembly on Gender Equality submission
Thank you to Safeguarding Ireland
One of Colette’s goals as Senator has been working towards better adult safeguarding law, policy and practice in Ireland. So it is an honour to be recognised and thanked by...
Cork Traveller Visibility Group’s Women in Leadership programme visits Leinster House
Members of the Cork Traveller Visibility Group’s Women in Leadership programme visited Leinster House today. It was great to host so many women Traveller activits. They toured Leinster House and...
Saving the vital services and supports at Bessborough
Today Colette spoke to PJ Coogan on Cork’s 96FM on the Bessborough Family Services Centre. The saving of these vital supports and services is really good news for mothers, children...
Visiting the Focus Family Services Centre
Thank you to Hannah O’Leary Jeffers who visited us as part of her TY work experience. While she was here we visited the Simon Community, Irish Traveller Movement and the...
A rent freeze and the law – The Irish Times
Read the letter written by Ann Fitzgerald, Chairwoman of Home for Good, here. In it she outlines how an excessive caution on the part of our politicians, and their advisers,...
Latest Tweets
The welfare and wellbeing of our clients is paramount: clients who seek professional non-judgemental care from the IFPA’s accredited counsellors shouldn’t be exposed to a distressing encounter with an antiabortion group. https://twitter.com/_BrianMahon_/status/1293121767939231745
The @IrishFPA has had to change stock photos of women it uses after learning that a controversial pregnancy clinic was using the same pictures to promote anti-abortion messages.
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/ireland/anti-abortion-group-uses-same-photos-as-family-planning-association-f37x3h02l
After so many older Irish people died from #COVID19 in under-funded, under-regulated, largely privatized nursing home system with profit-taking accompanied by poor pay and conditions, shameful report from CAG (and shameful reporting by media) of funding of nursing homes, tone-
Would appreciate a RT @NFitzPsychology @mcdonnd5 @momlgn @dereklaffan @ColetteKelleher @b_m_hughes 😊 https://twitter.com/CareforPsychs/status/1292775117861289986
Would really appreciate a retweet or comment on our petition if you were so inclined! 😊😊😊@psychpolis @Hoppsychology @CDETBChiefPsych @dreddiemurphy @sharonlambert0 @DrJeanSorohan https://twitter.com/careforpsychs/status/1292774153653813248
Every year these students find out who their🚕driver is&who’ll they’ll be sharing w/days before or even on the day of their return to school. If u know anything about autism you’ll know that’s an issue. &these students are lucky as plenty simply don’t get the 🚕 they’re entitled2
Niche🧵as it relates to school transport&ASD special classes. Appreciate a RT from anyone in or interested in education.I run 3 secondary ASD special classes in Cork city. Most of our 18 students share taxis to school from all over the city&beyond. @josephamadigan @NormaFoleyTD1
Report on deaths of children known to child protection system found “the children frequently had needs related to disability, autism, education, addiction and psychological disorders” and inability of families to connect children with appropriate services was a pattern. @MHReform https://twitter.com/jackpowerIT/status/1292749097250816000
“While the child protection service was found wanting in certain cases, the main deficit in services experienced by a child may have been in relation to child health, mental health, housing or education,” writes Helen Buckley in today’s @IrishTimes
https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/not-enough-being-done-to-prevent-youth-suicide-1.4326024
Well done to @IrishRefugeeCo for this really important research. #Powerless is an essential read for anyone who wants to understand life in direct provision during Covid 19. https://twitter.com/IrishRefugeeCo/status/1292720249863901184
Methodology and headline findings of the “Powerless” report:
Download full report: https://bit.ly/3fKvbKs
Thank you to @Rethink_Ireland for supporting the development of this report.
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In March the govt was warned that Travellers and Roma “have been made vulnerable by centuries of neglect and discrimination in our societies. As the coronavirus crisis makes tragically clear, they now urgently need our care.” State neglect or racism?
https://pace.coe.int/en/news/7832/rapporteur-denounces-discrimination-against-roma-and-travellers-as-coronavirus-spreads
Woman’s Hour – Well worth listening to Zadie Smith reflecting on Covid 19 and more http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000lf94