About me

I’m Eoin Barry and I’m the Labour candidate in Graiguecullen Portarlington. I grew up on a small dairy farm in Doonane hill Wolfhill and I know live in Killeshin and work as a Family therapist (Systemic Psychotherapist) and Social Worker. I’m running in this election on a platform of creating positive change in our community.

Why I got involved in politics

I developed an interest in politics because I believe that government can be positive in peoples lives.

I feel that services in Rural Ireland have been reduced in recent years, posts offices, banks and small shops have all been closing forcing people to travel away from their communities to manage their households.

My priorities

I believe in developing local facilities that are accessible to all and that promote the local environment and biodiversity.

There are many ways to make facilities more accessible for everyone, for example making wider paths for people in wheelchairs or including social communication boards in our parks.

I also believe in developing high-quality jobs in rural Ireland. The pandemic accelerated this change but I believe there are further developments in broadband and in remote working hubs that would reduce the huge number of people commuting from Laois every day.

Finally I would like to work to promote positive mental health, invest in services and increase supports for farmers and others in high risk professions.

My background

I work as a Social Worker and Family Therapist in Child and Adolescent Mental Health. Working with young people experiencing a range of challenges from eating disorders to depression and ADHD.

I live in Killeshin with my wife Karen who is a teacher in a local school. For a number of years, I worked as a Youth Worker in Gragiuecullen and I later worked with the housing charity Focus Ireland.

I grew up on a small dairy farm in Wolfhill and went to school in Newtown NS and the Presentation Carlow. After school, I completed a degree in Social Care in Athlone IT.

I undertook further training in Criminology and Social Policy with the Open University before completing my Social Work training at Trinity University. In the last year I completed by training as a Family Therapist in UCD.

Clubs and Committees

Community Work

• Founding member of Killeshin Tidy towns and Chairperson since its founding.
• PRO Crettyard GAA 2019 – 2023 (including during the difficult Covid period.
• Youth Work Graiguecullen 2006- 2009. During this period I was a member of the Graiguecullen Community Development Group.

Activist

I’m currently a member of the policy and advocacy working group with Mental Health Reform

I was national chairperson of the CAMHS special interest group with the Irish Association of Social Workers. I contributed to the mental health act submission and was a member of the group writing the Operating Guidelines for CAMHS.

I missed out on the last seat during the 2019 local elections in Graiguecullen Portarlington.

I was the lead organiser for the cross party Michael D Higgins campaign in Laois in 2018

Campaigned and lead Labour Party campaign for marriage equality and other referendums in Laois.

Ran in the Seanad Bye Election in 2022 on a platform of reforming Mental Health Service Provision.

Further details

Qualifications

Bachelor Degree Social Care Athlone IT

Masters Degree Social Policy and Criminology Open University

Masters of Social Work Trinity College Dublin

Masters degree Systemic Psychotherapy (Family Therapy) University College Dublin

Trained to provide family based treatment of Anorexia Nervosa. James Locke Standford University

Trained in E-CBT ( cognitive behavioural therapy for eating disorders)

Trained in Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions (Yale Child Study Centre)

Trained Non Violent Resistance Therapy