On 8 June 2015 , Mitchell O'Connor was selected by Dún Laoghaire Fine Gael as their candidate to contest the next general election at a selection convention . She defeated councillors Barry Ward and Maria Bailey , daughter of John Bailey , although Bailey was later added to the ticket and elected . She came through and , after a delay due to talks on government formation , was appointed Minister for Jobs , Enterprise and Innovation in May 2016
talks on government formation
2016 Irish government formation
Mary Mitchell O'Connor