Ali O'Shea Bio

I previously stood as a candidate in the 2020 Seanad Éireann election. I have used the time since then to improve my candidacy and political capabilities. I believe this was positive and will ultimately benefit my effectiveness as a Senator now.

If you vote for me, I will work hard on achieving my aims over next few years. My primary focus is the profile of Irish education. Both for Irish/EU residents and citizens who use these important services already. Also, as a great Irish export, to increase Ireland’s profile and impact internationally, in a positive and constructive way. This aligns with the overall character of Ireland’s approach to international relations and business.

This is not just aspirational talk on my part. I really believe in Irish education and have experience of how well it is received internationally. However, it is also quite low profile, if compared against the UK and the US.  To counter this, over the past years, I have used my network in the Gulf countries to facilitate the signing of a number of MOUs between Irish research institutions/universities and renowned universities/research organisations in Qatar, Oman, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. These MOUs represent the commitment by these institutions to cooperate on research and encourage international student exchanges. This will benefit the Irish Universities both in terms of increased fees and profile – educating the leaders and reformers of tomorrow!  

In addition to my work in education I will lead a high-profile Irish delegation to the Doha Forum, in Qatar this year.  I received an invitation from Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Emir of the State of Qatar, to bring an Irish delegation to the Doha Forum on March 26-27, 2022. The Doha Forum is a global platform for dialogue, bringing together leaders in policy to discuss critical challenges facing our world, and to build innovative and action-driven networks, under the banner ‘Diplomacy, Dialogue, Diversity’. This is a major international diplomatic and geopolitical think-in. It is important for Ireland to represent itself at these events, to speak up, and soak up, what is going on and who is saying what to who, and about who/what! Watch out for tweet and posts explaining who is attending and who we are talking to.

If you are interested in hearing more about any of these initiatives, just drop me an email, I would be happy to explain who/what is involved.

I am not just about education, as an immigrant who was welcomed into Ireland 17 years ago, first as a refugee and now, proudly, as an Irish citizen (and husband and father), I will also speak up on immigrant rights and integration, victims of human trafficking and human and civil rights issues. I really want to provide greater representation in the Oireachtas for Ireland’s new Irish. This is one of the reasons I am standing as an independent, because I believe these issues cross party lines and are more easily pursued as an independent.

I would appreciate your number 1 vote and if you could forward my name to your colleagues and friends who might be willing to vote for me.

I look forward to discussing these plans with you over the course of the next few weeks.

N.P. An elector may, at any time, ensure that their details are up-to-date by submitting a request to the Academic Registry, either by email at academic.registry@tcd.ie, by phone at +353 (0)1 896 4500 or in person. Unless the Academic Registry are informed of a change of address, voting papers will go to the address on record.