As Minister for Social Protection, she played a leading role during the pandemic delivering the biggest social protection budget in the history of the State and has also spearheaded significant reform in the area of pensions. The Minister also launched Ireland’s ambitious rural development strategy, Our Rural Future. She has also served as Minister for Justice on two occasions, filling in for her Cabinet colleague Minister McEntee while she took maternity leave. And she also served as Minister for Business, Minister for Arts Heritage and the Gaelteacht and Minister with responsibility for rural affairs. Heather previously worked with Ulster Bank and prior to her election to Dáil Éireann, she was Manager of Cootehill Credit Union.