She was elected to the Dáil for the Dublin South-West constituency at the 2016 general election , becoming the first openly lesbian TD and , by her own reckoning , the world 's 32nd lesbian to be elected to a national parliament . In May 2016 , after a delay in government formation , due to prolonged talks in which she played her part , Zappone became Ireland 's first openly lesbian government Minister and the first Minister to have been openly gay at the time of appointment to cabinet , when Enda Kenny appointed her as the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs
a delay in government formation
2016 Irish government formation
Katherine Zappone