Rónán Mullen
Rónán Thomas Mullen (born 13 October 1970) is an Irish senator and former delegate to the Council of Europe. He is the leader of the Human Dignity Alliance, an anti-abortion political party formed in 2018. He was elected by the National University Seanad constituency in July 2007 and re-elected in 2011, 2016 and 2020. He has topped the poll in every NUI Seanad election since 2011.[1] Mullen is a frequent media commentator on social and political topics. The first National University of Ireland senator appointed to the Council of Europe, he received international coverage for his role in defeating the controversial McCafferty Report which sought to limit the right to conscientious objection for medical staff in the case of abortions.
Rónán Mullen
13 October 1970
County Galway, Ireland
- Human Dignity Alliance (since 2018)
- Independent (2007–2018)
Mullen was born and educated in County Galway, in the west of Ireland, and studied French and English at University of Galway, where he was also president of the Students' Union. Then, in 1993, he moved to Dublin and studied for a master's degree in journalism, after which he worked as a teacher and press secretary. In 1999 he began training as a barrister in the King's Inns, during which he won the Irish Times Debate. He was called to the Bar in 2003. Since 2001 he has been a lecturer in the Institute of Technology, Blanchardstown. Mullen's Seanad election profile describes him as a "full-time public representative".
Mullen was prominent in campaigns opposing same-sex marriage in 2015 and abortion in 2018 respectively.[2][3]
He formed the Human Dignity Alliance in 2018. He is a member of the European political party European Christian Political Movement.[4]
Background[edit]
Mullen was born in County Galway, son of Maura Hobbs and Tom Mullen. He grew up in Ahascragh, County Galway.[5] After primary school in Kilglass National School and secondary school in Holy Rosary College in Mountbellew, he obtained a BA degree in English and French from the then University College Galway. Mullen was elected president of UCG Students' Union (now University of Galway Students' Union) in 1991–92.[6] He then obtained a master's degree in journalism from Dublin City University in 1993.[7]
After working as a teacher for a year in Liberties Vocational School, Mullen was appointed in 1994 to the post of Administration Officer for Academic and Student Affairs in Dundalk Regional Technical College (now Dundalk Institute of Technology) where he worked until March 1996. From 1996 to 2001, Mullen worked in the Communications Office of the Archdiocese of Dublin and appeared as a spokesperson for the Archdiocese and Cardinal Desmond Connell. In 1999, he began studies for a Diploma in Legal Studies and a Barrister-at-Law degree from King's Inns. While studying, he and Michael Deasy were the members of the victorious King's Inns team in the Irish Times Debate in 2000.[8] Mullen is the only former winner of that competition to be elected to the Oireachtas.[9]
Mullen was called to the Bar of Ireland in 2003.[10]
In October 2001, he began a weekly column with the Irish Examiner and later moved to the Irish Daily Mail. He also writes occasionally for other publications, including The Irish Catholic. He teaches courses in Law, Communication and Personal Development in Institute of Technology, Blanchardstown in Dublin, where he has been on the staff since 2001.[11]
Council of Europe[edit]
In January 2010, Mullen replaced the late Deputy Tony Gregory as an independent member of the Irish parliamentary delegation to the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, where he joined the European People's Party (Christian Democrat) group,[54] the largest political group represented in the Council of Europe. He became the first NUI Senator to be appointed to the Council of Europe, and only the second Independent Senator to be appointed.[55][56] Mullen was a member of the Committee on Migration, Refugees and Population and an alternate member of the Social, Health and Family Affairs Committee.[54] He ceased to be a member of the Irish parliamentary delegation in January 2011.
With other members Mullen tabled amendments to restrict access to abortion,[57] and was also vocal on behalf of migrants' human rights, freedom of conscience and victims of human trafficking in the council. In October 2010 Mullen together with the Chairperson of the European People's Party at the Council of Europe, Luca Volontè, led the way in pushing through 29 amendments to the McCafferty Report. The McCafferty Report initially intended to severely restrict the right of medical staff to refuse to participate in procuring an abortion, but in the end was transformed into a resolution affirming the right to conscientiously object to abortion. Christine McCafferty, a former British MP and main author of the original resolution, said during deliberations that she sought to force private and religious hospitals and clinics to perform abortions. The report was widely expected to carry in its original form.
The report was eventually entitled "The right to conscientious objection in lawful medical care".[58]
Human Dignity Alliance[edit]
Mullen formed the Human Dignity Alliance as a new political party in June 2018. The party is anti-abortion and was founded in the aftermath of the abortion referendum. The party is registered to contest future European and Oireachtas elections and Mullen has stated they are interested in hearing from prospective candidates.[59]
2014 European Parliament election[edit]
Mullen ran as an independent candidate in the Midlands–North-West constituency for the 2014 European Parliament election. He received 5.6% of the votes and failed to be elected.
Other interests[edit]
Mullen is a fluent Irish speaker and contributes regularly to RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta and TG4, Ireland's Irish language radio and television channels, as well as on other Irish-language TV and Radio programmes. He has appeared frequently to review newspapers on the independent radio channel Newstalk.
Mullen is a member of the Board of Directors of CEIST (Catholic Education Irish Schools Trust) Ltd,[60] a trust body for over 100 secondary schools around Ireland, including his former school, Holy Rosary College in Mountbellew.[61] He is also a member of the Corporate Board of Management of Daughters of Charity Community Services, an education and community development agency in Dublin's inner city.[62] He is a first cousin of former Fine Gael Senator Michael Mullins.