Sinn Féin health spokesperson David Cullinane announces engagement

Sarah Slater

David Cullinane, Sinn Féin’s health spokesperson has revealed he has gotten engaged.

The long-time Waterford politician took to his official Facebook page to announce his engagement to his partner Sinead.

Deputy Cullinane was previously married to party colleague Ireland South MEP Kathleen Funchion, and they have two sons.

The 51-year-old said on his Facebook post that he was “delighted” to announce his engagement to the “wonderful Sinead” and shared a photograph of them both and of the diamond solitaire ring.

It remains unclear when the couple became engaged, but deputy Cullinane had been on holiday until last Thursday and has not yet replied to attempts to contact him. Deputy Cullinane made the announcement on Friday evening.

Hundreds of members of the public congratulated the couple with one person commenting that the announcement was “absolutely terrific news” and wished them many years of “happiness” together.

He was first elected to Waterford City Council in 2004 and became a TD in 2016 after three failed attempts.

Last April deputy Cullinane had to apologise for comments he made regarding the Trans community following a UK Supreme Court ruling in the UK.

The deputy apologised after welcoming as “common sense” a judgment by the court that the term “woman” means a biological female.

The landmark decision on April 16th ruled that the terms woman, man and sex are defined solely by a person’s biological sex in the UK Equality Act of 2010. It means a person born male who identifies as a woman does not have a right to use women-only spaces.

Deputy Cullinane backtracked and apologised for the “hurt and offence that I have caused to the Trans community” following a tweet.