Róisín Shortall

Róisín Shortall TD
Shortall (left) with fellow party leader Catherine Murphy
Leader of the Social Democrats with Catherine Murphy
Incumbent
Assumed office 15 July 2015
Preceded by	New office
Minister of State for Primary Care
In office 10 March 2011 – 26 September 2012
Taoiseach	Enda Kenny
Preceded by	New office
Succeeded by	Alex White
Teachta Dála
Incumbent
Assumed office November 1992
Constituency	Dublin North-West
Personal details
Born	(1954-04-25) 25 April 1954 (age 63) Drumcondra, Dublin, Ireland
Nationality	Irish
Political party	Social Democrats
Other political affiliations	Independent (2012–15), Labour Party (1992–2012)
Spouse(s)	Seamus O'Byrne
Children	3
Alma mater	University College Dublin, Marino Institute of Education, Dublin
Website	www.roisinshortall.ie

Róisín Shortall (born 25 April 1954) is an Irish politician, who is co-founder and joint-leader of the Social Democrats party. Initially a member of the Labour Party and a Teachta Dála (TD) representing them for the Dublin North-West constituency from November 1992, she resigned her membership in September 2012. She then sat in Dáil Éireann as an independent TD for a time until co-founding the Social Democrats, for whom she was re-elected to the Dáil at the 2016 general election. While in the Labour Party she was Minister of State for Primary Care from 2011 to 2012.

Shortall was born and raised in Drumcondra, Dublin. She was educated at Dominican College, Eccles Street; University College Dublin, and Marino Institute of Education, Marino. She worked as a teacher for the deaf before seeking public office. She first held public office in 1991 when she was elected to Dublin City Council for the Drumcondra local electoral area.

Shortall was first elected to Dáil Éireann at the 1992 general election, when the Labour Party won a record 33 seats. She retained her seat at the 1997, 2002, 2007 and the 2011 general elections. She is a former party spokesperson for Social and Family Affairs.