Hussey, Gemma (1938-…), became the first female minister for education in the Republic of Ireland in 1982. She held that office until 1986, when she was appointed minister for social welfare. Hussey also served as minister for labor briefly in 1987. A member of the Fine Gael party, she ceased to be a minister when her party’s coalition government was defeated in a general election in 1987.
Hussey was born on Nov. 11, 1938, in Dublin. She served in Seanad Eireann (the upper house of Ireland’s Parliament) from 1977 to 1982. From 1982 to 1989, she served in Dail Eireann (the lower house of Ireland’s Parliament) for the Wicklow constituency. In 1993, she became director of the European Women’s Foundation, an organization that identifies and assists projects that help women, especially in central and eastern Europe, make a difference in their communities.
