Carol Nolan
Carol Nolan (born 23 May 1978) is an Irish independent politician and Teachta Dála (TD) for Offaly. She has served as a TD in three spells: 2016–2020 for Offaly, 2020–2024 for Laois–Offaly, and from 2024 again for Offaly.
She was born in Tullamore and is a native of Cadamstown, Offaly. Nolan trained as a primary school teacher, teaching for 12 years and serving as principal of Gaelscoil Thromaire in County Laois for three years. She studied at Maynooth University and Marino Institute of Education and earned a master’s degree in Special and Inclusive Education from Froebel College of Education in 2012. She is married to Gerard Nolan and has two children.
Nolan was a Sinn Féin member on Offaly County Council from 2014 to 2016. In March 2018 she was suspended from Sinn Féin for three months after voting against legislation for a referendum on repealing the Eighth Amendment, and she supported pro-life campaigns Cherish all the Children Equally and Love Both. She resigned from Sinn Féin on 19 June 2018, saying she would not back abortion legislation.
As an independent, she was elected to the Dáil for Laois–Offaly in 2020 and for Offaly in 2024. She has been part of the Rural Group of Independent TDs and later joined the Regional Independents Group. After a ruling limiting speaking time for government-affiliated independents, Nolan called for reform of Dáil Standing Orders to ensure all Independent TDs receive speaking time.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 09:02 (CET).