Ellen O’Malley Dunlop is to step down as chief executive of the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre and run as an Independent candidate for the Seanad.
In a statement on Wednesday, Ms O’Malley Dunlop, who has been head of the women’s support agency for 10 years, said her priority if elected would be to “embed a truly equal, progressive and compassionate society” in the Republic.
She is to run for one of three seats on the National University of Ireland (NUI) panel. During the most recent election in 2011, the three senators elected by the NUI constituency were Independents Fergal Quinn, Ronan Mullen and John Crown.
“I am stepping down as chief executive of the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre after 10 years when I had the privilege of working with an amazingly dedicated staff and volunteers of 100 women who worked tirelessly in their responses to preventing and healing the trauma of rape and childhood sexual abuse in Irish society,” she said.
Equal access to education
Her priorities will include equal access to education for all children regardless of social background or religious status, and the production of a second SAVI (Sexual Abuse and Violence in Ireland) report to “measure and support progress” in dealing with such crimes.
She said she would be calling for the repeal of the eighth amendment and for its replacement with legislation “to allow women to make their own decisions in some very difficult situations”.
Furthermore, she said she would be seeking the expansion of counselling and psychotherapy services, particularly for suicide prevention, as well as the statutory registration and regulation of psychotherapists and counsellors.
