Since then, Mary has served as former deputy leader of Fianna Fáil, She has also held a number of senior Cabinet positions, including Minister for Education, Labour, Health and Public Enterprise. She has also been Leader of Seanad Eireann and is a frequent guest on radio and television.
In 2012, Mary’s memoir “Just Mary: My Memoir” was published. The number 1 best-seller won the Listeners Choice Award at the 2012 BGE Irish Book Awards. In her memoir Mary describes life as a woman in the male world of politics, the sexism she sometimes had to deal with, and the difficulties of balancing her busy career with raising a family.