Mary Wallace


Mary Wallace is a former Irish Fianna Fáil politician. She served as a Teachta Dála for the Meath and Meath East constituencies from 1989 to 2011.

Early life

Wallace was born in County Dublin in 1959. She was educated at the Loreto Convents in Balbriggan and North Great Georges Street, Dublin and the College of Commerce, Rathmines where she received a diploma in Hospital and Health Services Administration. Following this she went on to work as a Personnel Executive in Blanchardstown Hospital.

Political career

Wallace first held political office in 1982 when she was elected to Meath County Council. She served on that authority until 1997. In 1987 she was elected to the 18th Seanad Éireann on the Administrative Panel, having failed to get elected to Dáil Éireann at the 1987 general election. She was successful at the 1989 general election and was elected for the Meath constituency. She retained her seat at each subsequent election, moving to the new Meath East constituency for the 2007 general election.
Wallace remained on the backbenches until 1995 when she became Opposition Spokesperson for people with disabilities and carers. When Fianna Fáil came to power in 1997 she became Minister of State at the Department of Justice and Law Reform. Wallace lost her position in 2002 when the Disability Bill she was piloting through the Dáil was withdrawn.
In February 2006 Wallace rejoined the junior ministerial team as Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food with special responsibility for Forestry. Her promotion caused some surprise as Seán Haughey had been the front-runner for promotion, while Wallace's name had not even been mentioned.
In May 2008, she was appointed as Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children with special responsibility for Health Promotion and Food Safety. She lost her position as Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children in a reshuffle on 21 April 2009.
She retired from politics at the 2011 general election.