Senator Annie Hoey
Spokesperson on Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science
Meath East

As Labour's Spokesperson for Higher and Further Education I am working in Seanad Eireann to voice the needs of students, teachers and all workers in our higher education sector. 

Four years ago, while I was President of the Students Union of Ireland, the Cassells Report was published which gave us a roadmap to a publicly-funded third level educations sector which is free at the point of use for everyone. I believe it is time to;

• Abolish student fees
• Make all third-level education free at the point of access, for everyone regardless of age or level of qualification.
• Reform SUSI to make sure no student is blocked from education due to additional costs. 
• Reinstate postgraduate grants.
• Stop the casualisation of work in the sector.
• Increase funding for both research and teaching positions within third level institutes.

As a Labour Party Senator, I sit on the Health Committee, the Good Friday Agreement Committee and Committee on Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht.

I am a member of the Oireachtas Woman's Caucus working group and co-chair of the All-Party Group on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights.

I'm an activist first, with a proven track record of successfully fighting for the young people of Ireland. I played a key role in two of the largest social justice campaigns in recent times. While a student I served as the National Co-Ordinator of Student’s for Marriage Equality (2014-2015). Following my time in USI, I joined the Coalition to Repeal the 8^th as National Canvassing Coordinator and was then asked to serve as the National Canvassing Manager for Together For Yes (2018). I am proud to bring an active voice to Seanad Éireann and use my position here to champion matters of equality, fairness and justice.

I’m a Drogheda native, born and reared on a tillage farm in Co. Meath. I am a former Meath County Councillor.