Ann Phelan is new rural junior minister

Ann Phelan, Labour Party TD for Carlow-Kilkenny since 2011, is the new Minister of State at the Departments of Agriculture, Food and Marine, and Transport, Tourism and Sport.

She has been given special responsibility for rural economic development (implementation of the CEDRA Report) and rural transport.

Carlow/Kilkenny’s first woman TD, she first won a Kilkenny County Council seat in 2004.

A Graignamanagh resident, she has served on the South East Regional Authority, and was Leader of the Co Kilkenny Heritage Forum.