Mary Mitchell O’Connor is a one-woman job creation agency. With two advisers quitting in recent months, she seems adept at opening up sought-after positions in the public service, although perhaps the job ads should begin: “You don’t have to be mad to work here but . . .”
Last week she announced that Ellen Lynch, formerly of the IDA, would become her new press adviser following the resignation of Jim McGrath, an experienced policy wonk who had worked for Labour’s Alan Kelly. It’s been reported that Alan Cantwell, the former TV3 news anchor, had a testy relationship with Mitchell O’Connor before quitting as her adviser in November. One of her drivers also left shortly after her appointment as minister in May.
Until becoming jobs minister, the Dun Laoghaire TD was perhaps best known for her own driving. Mitchell O’Connor, called Miss Piggy by Mick Wallace because of her flamboyant clothes, famously drove over the pedestrian plinth on her first day in Leinster House.
Her first big idea as a minister, introducing a special tax rate for returning emigrants, was publicly and cruelly shot down by taoiseach Enda Kenny, her mentor. She was then criticised by the party’s backbenchers over her job creation record in rural Ireland. A subsequent Irish Times profile, replete with anonymous barbs, led to accusations that her critics were driven by “sexism”.
Ironically, Mitchell O’Connor needs some sage advice to arrest the narrative being formed by the press about her temperament and performance as a minister. Her new adviser has her work cut out, but Mitchell O’Connor is nothing if not combative. Miss Piggy may have worn pink but she packed a mean karate chop.
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Life in Brief
Born: June 10, 1959
Education: Carysfort College, Dublin; NUI Maynooth
Career: Former principal of the Harold Primary School in Glasthule; former Progressive Democrats councillor; joined Fine Gael in 2007; elected TD for Dun Laoghaire in 2011
Personal life: Divorced, two sons