MINISTER OF EDUCATION
DECEMBER 1982 - FEBUARY 1986
MINISTER FOR SOCIAL WELFARE AND MINISTER FOR LABOUR 1986
Gemma Hussey described her motivation to getting into politics in 1977 as
‘healing the division in Irish society, sexual, religious and social.’
Women’s Political Association Journal No 9.
‘I was the first woman who had a senior cabinet position to come up through the women’s movement. I began in women’s politics.
‘Women Power in the Dáil’, Interview with Anne Harris. Image, May 1984.
Against the backdrop of strikes in 1985 following the ‘teachers united campaign’ during her time as Minister of Education, Gemma Hussey established Vocational Training Programme in response to the high levels of youth unemployment. This grew into the PLC programme, which by its 30th anniversary head in excess of 750,000 students.
The National Parent’s Council was established in 1985, in order for greater participation in education decision making by parents.
During her time in the Department of Education established the Curriculum and Examination Board (CEB) to review the Junior Cycle and Leaving Certificate. It was a radical reform such as teacher reviewing their own pupils but the recommendations were not implemented.
She was worked to combat sexism and sex stereotyping in schoolbooks. She started an initiative to examine the position of women in higher education.
A founder of the Women’s Political Association (WPA), in 1973 she was elected Chair. The aim of the Association was ‘to influence public opinion on the importance of gender balance amongst public representatives, to pressurise political parties and to encourage women to run for public office.’
The WPA operated with very limited resources and relied on teams of women volunteering in local branches to promote the objectives of the association. Gemma joined other women doing talks around the country to bring attention to the organisation and their aims and aspirations.
Gemma later wrote that it was from 1974 that she became increasingly interested in public life, and particularly in the women’s movement.
Gemma Hussey was also a founding member of the National Women’s Talent Bank which sought to maintain a register of women suitable to serve on public boards and commissions. She was a delegate to the Council for the Status of Women, an umbrella group with representatives of most women’s organisations in Ireland.
In 1974 Gemma Hussey was appointed to the board of the Abbey Theatre serving as a Director until 1978. As a Director Gemma Hussey was involved in the development of policy for the Theatre, as well as attending performances and reviewing scripts.
In 1977 Gemma became one of the directors of TEAM, (the Irish Theatre in Education Group).
Between 1976 and 1977 the WPA compiled and circulated a questionnaire to all Dáil Deputies to elicit information about their attitude to the major issues affecting Irish women.
The information was sought by the WPA so that their members could make informed decisions about who they would support in a general election.
Gemma became a Senator elected by the National University of Ireland panel from 1977 to 1982. During her first term she sat as an independent.
In 1980 she joined Fine Gael and became the party’s first spokesperson on Women’s Affairs.
She went on to become the Government Leader in the Seanad.
In 1979 she was invited to serve on the Commission of Inquiry into the Irish Penal System and contributed to the final report of the Commission published in 1980.
Gemma was a member of the Working Party on Women in Broadcasting and presented a submission in 1981 to the RTE Authority and senior management on the stereotyping of women in the media, sexism and gender imbalance in Irish broadcasting.
Gemma Hussey was elected to Dáil Éireann as a TD for the Wicklow Constituency in February 1982 having narrowly missed out on a seat in the General Election held in June 1981. She was appointed as the opposition spokesperson on Broadcasting, Arts and Culture.
Gemma Hussey also lent her support to the very early protagonists who sought to establish multi-denominational, co-educational schools under a democratic management structure known as Dalkey School Project (DSP). Gemma Hussey opened the new school building for the DSP in 1983.
Gemma held her seat at the next general election in November 1982 and was appointed in the Fine Gael-Labour coalition Government as Ireland’s first female Minister for Education from 1982 to 1986.
Following a Cabinet reshuffle she briefly served as Minister for Social Welfare and Minister for Labour.
(14 December 1982)
(1983)
Gemma Hussey was a strong supporter of legislating for divorce in Ireland and campaigned vigorously in favour of a yes vote in the 1986 referendum.
Gemma Hussey retired from politics in June 1989. She was appointed by the President, Dr Patrick Hillery, to the Council of State in September of the same year.
Gemma Moran was born on 11 November 1938 the daughter of Jim and Patricia Moran. She grew up in Bray, Co. Wicklow and was educated at the Loreto Convent in Bray before being sent to boarding school at the Sacred Heart, Mount Anville, Goatstown, Dublin 14.
Gemma attended University College Dublin and graduated with an Honours degree in Economics and Political Science.
Gemma founded and directed what became the largest school for foreign students in Ireland. She was in partnership with Maureen Concannon from 1963 to 1974.
Gemma Hussey and Maureen Concannon O'Brien 1963-1966 at the opening of the academic year reception at their language school, 100 St Stephen's Green.
There she met Dermot (Derry) Hussey whom she married in 1976. They had three children, Rachel, Ruth and Andrew. They were teenagers when Gemma entered politics.
In 1990 Gemma Hussey had her Cabinet diaries published as "At the Cutting Edge" by Gill & MacMillan. When these diaries were quoted in court, there was a ruling that furthermore such works could not be published. She also published Ireland Today: Anatomy of a Changing State in 1993.
Gemma Hussey with Queen Rania of Jordan (Amman, Jordan – 23 December, 2002).
In the 1990s Gemma Hussey set up the European Women’s Foundation and helped aspiring candidates and new elected women, especially those from emerging democracies, many of whom had not had the freedom of speech when they were behind the iron curtain.
Working in a Voluntary capacity she organised workshops to teach women about political life, public speaking. Gemma worked in countries including Latvia, Romania. Moldovia and Lithuania. She also founded the Worldwide International Women’s Forum, and became its first president. In this capacity she worked with Rania Al-Abdullah now Queen of Jordan.