Mol an óige: Eoghan Kenny TD

Labour Party TD for Cork North Central Eoghan Kenny was first elected to the Dáil in November 2024. At 25 years of age, he is the youngest TD in the 34th Dáil and the first ever Deputy born in the 21st century. Sitting down with Ciaran Brennan, he discusses Labour’s recent progress and why he believes the Government is failing on education.

The 25-year-old Mallow native first connected with politics in 2019 when, aged 19, he wrote to then-Minister for Education Joe McHugh to prompt him to reconstruct his school, Patrician Academy in Mallow, which burnt down in 2016. No progress had been made on the building to this point, but within six weeks of Kenny’s letter, construction began.

“That ultimately kickstarted it because I could see that with any political will or energy behind a campaign, things could be done,” says Kenny.

Following this, Kenny began working as the secretary for former Labour Cork East TD, Seán Sherlock. Kenny says that Sherlock is his “political idol”, and that it was the former TD who first floated the idea of him running for office. In February 2024, Kenny was co-opted onto Cork County Council before winning his seat during the local elections in June 2024.

A seat in the Dáil opened up when Sherlock decided not to contest the election after his main supporter base of Mallow was moved from Cork East to Cork North Central. This paved the way for Kenny to put his name on the ballot paper, and ascend to the Dáil chamber in November 2024. Kenny reflects: “I was not expecting it, to be totally honest with you. I think the Labour Party probably did not expect it.”

It was a rapid rise for Kenny who says that “no one was ever involved in politics in my family”. However, he says that his family have always been “trade unionists at heart”, which Kenny says made the Labour Party “the natural fit” for him. He adds: “I would have been drawn to the Labour Party ultimately because of Seán. It was a case of: ‘If Seán is in the Labour Party, why could I not be in the Labour Party?’”

Labour Party progress

Kenny was one of the success stories for the Labour Party which made gains in the Dáil in the most recent election, earning 11 seats. This represents the first signs of progress since the highs of the 2011 election when it pipped Fianna Fáil to second place behind Fine Gael, securing a record of 37 seats, enabling it to govern along with Fine Gael. However, the party was virtually wiped out in the 2016 election – winning only seven seats, before dropping further to six in 2020.

“There is great, great energy within the Labour Party. We sit around this table every Tuesday and there is political discussion. We are not afraid to take strips off each other which is extremely good for the party and for our members.

“A big draw for anybody that is joining the Labour Party now would be the fact that we have governed and we are not afraid to govern,” he adds.

‘A chaotic start’

On his personal political ambitions, Kenny says his primary intent is to achieve re-election next time around. The Labour education spokesperson also says his “dream job” is that of Minister for Education. Regarding his ambitions within the Labour Party, he is less specific: “Obviously you want to progress within your party – wherever that brings you to. It could bring you to a higher level within the party.”

Kenny states that he is enjoying his work as a TD, but he had a “chaotic start” to life in Leinster House. The Mallow native was only in the door when the speaking rights row began. It was sparked by the unprecedented decision by Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy TD to grant opposition speaking rights to the Michael Lowry-led Regional Independents Group, in spite of the fact its TDs support the Government, with two serving as ministers of state.

“I think a deal was done with what Ivana [Bacik TD] would consider the ‘Lowry lackies’,” he reflects. “I think it was completely wrong. I think Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael handled it extremely badly.”

Disruption and dissent abounded in the Dáil for weeks, with opposition TDs walking out on numerous occasions. Tensions were high, and Kenny says this made it “extremely difficult” to begin working as a new TD. He adds: “My position in the Dáil itself, is right in front of Michael Lowry. There were people [addressing] Michael Lowry and shouting at him, and I was sitting in front of him. It was a difficult experience but we have overcome it now.”

Education

Kenny currently serves as Labour’s spokesperson for education and youth. He expresses his delight at this appointment and his passion for education, particularly special educational needs.

The Mallow native worked as a religion and business teacher at Mayfield Community School, and he identifies this experience as key in understanding the challenges facing students, teachers, and parents. Kenny asserts: “The Department of Education over at least two governments has failed on education dramatically.”

He identifies that “there are a number of things we have failed on”. This includes the provision of places in classes for children with special educational needs, the backlog in assessments of needs, and the shortage of teachers in the State. Kenny states: “There was a serious lack of planning by ministers for the last two terms in terms of special educational needs.”

“The role of a special needs assistant (SNA) has been completely undermined for many years. Particularly during the last two Dáil terms.”

There is great, great energy within the Labour Party. We sit around this table every Tuesday and there is political discussion. We are not afraid to take strips off each other which is extremely good for the party and for our members.”

Eoghan Kenny TD

Kenny identifies the failure to abolish the obligation on SNAs to work an additional 72 hours on top of their contracted honours is evidence of this. He has also criticised Leaving Cert reforms set to be rolled out in September which will see project work or additional components of assessment introduced in all subjects, while some subjects will have the number of written exams reduced.

“To me, as a teacher and a politician – and it is not political to say it – it is going to fail. It is absolutely dramatically going to fail,” he states.

Despite his criticism of the Government, Kenny notes the importance of engaging with Minister for Education Helen McEntee TD to enact change. “I am trying to build up a relationship with Minister McEntee as well because unlike some in the opposition, I believe that there should be good communication between opposition spokespeople and the ministers.

“It is easy to play the populist role of shouting back and forth, but if you can offer constructive solutions to the issues, naturally the Minister is going to work with you on it.”

Approximately 15,000 children are awaiting an assessment of needs, and HSE CEO Bernard Gloster has stated that this could increase to 25,000 by the end of the year. Under the Disability Act 2005, the Government is required to conduct an assessment of needs within six months of an application being submitted.

He asserts that the system is need of “a serious overhaul”, indicating that it is a lack of staff that is causing the backlog. The Labour TD states that this lack of staff is caused by inadequate pay and conditions.

“It is very difficult when a family comes to me in my office and says they cannot get an assessment of needs. As a policy maker, that is embarrassing,” he adds.

Kenny also raises the lack of teacher supply as evidence that the Government is failing on education, adding “we can just not simply get teachers”. The 25-year-old opines that the crisis can be attributed to the lack of housing, affordable childcare, school places, infrastructure, and public transport. This is driving newly qualified teachers abroad, and there is little to incentivise their return, he says.

“You can move abroad and earn far more money and have good access to public transport, childcare would be free or less, and you would be able to buy a house comfortably. It is impossible in Ireland right now to do any of those things.”