Kathleen Funchion

Personal life Funchion was born in Callan, County Kilkenny. She was previously married to David Cullinane who is a Sinn Féin TD for Waterford. She is a survivor of a coercive control relationship with Sean Tyrrell a blocklayer from County Tipperary.

Political career She was a member of Kilkenny Borough Council from 2009 to 2014 and Kilkenny County Council from 2014 to 2016. Prior to her election to the Dáil, she worked with the SIPTU trade union.

She contested the 2007 general election and the 2011 general election in Carlow–Kilkenny, and the 2009 European Parliament election in East. She was elected to the 32nd Dáil for Carlow-Kilkenny at the 2016 general election, taking the third seat. From 2016 to 2020, she served Chair of the Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement. Funchion received 7.35% of the first preference votes, and was elected on the 20th count, taking the fifth seat. She took office on 17 July 2024.