Pauline Tully is the Sinn Féin Spokesperson on Disability and Carers and TD for Cavan-Monaghan. Pauline is a member of the Oireachtas Committee of Disability Matters. A single parent to two children, Pauline lives in rural Cavan near the villages of Ballinagh and Kilnaleck where she grew up on a small farm. Pauline was a teacher in Breifne College in Cavan Town and was Chairperson of the outgoing Board of Management. Elected to Cavan County Council in 1999 for the Ballyjamesduff Electoral Area, Pauline retained the seat until 2012 when she resigned to meet the care needs of her children. She is passionate about her community and is a strong voice in the Dáil for the people of Cavan, Monaghan and North Meath.
As a Sinn Fein TD Pauline wanted to build up her own brand alongside the Sinn Fein brand. When you are a spokesperson, with a unique position or specific priorities, a separate website allows for extra promotion of this information, in this instance, an extra focus on disability and carers. Pauline wanted to be able to highlight this messaging and ensure the content could be shared with the public in a way that was most effective for her target audience.
She also wanted a platform to communicate directly with her constituents. To be able to share news, updates, and upcoming events, as well as soliciting feedback and opinions. As a TD for Sinn Fein it was also important to promote the party through links to the main party website for membership, donations and other ways to get involved.
At FutureProof Digital we use WordPress exclusively. It’s the perfect software solution for almost all small businesses. For this client we would also install Elementor Pro to develop a custom theme, and Crocoblock JetEngine for database management. In addition, we build a custom admin dashboard for each client.This user friendly interface, more akin to a social media platform allows the business owner to add and update content, add and update media, and change basic business info.
For this project we began with the website homepage. A website homepage should contain all of the highlights, all of the pages you want people to visit; your business goals. The goals here were simple; promote the client, share news and encourage people to make contact for more information and feedback. This homepage features some background on the client, news and updates, links to the party website and the contact page.
Next came the news and updated pages, which is essential for a politician to share their key messages with the public. For example, making statements on current issues on disability and/or carers and other topical issues that are important to share. This also serves as an archive of work which can be used at election time to show voters what a politician has been working on.
Finally, key for a politician, the contact page. A contact page provides a direct line of communication and makes it easy for people to reach out to you with questions or feedback. A clear, easy to use contact form makes it easy for constituents and potential voters to get in touch with you and helps establish a relationship.
The homepage for a politician is the first impression that potential voters will have of your work and views. A well-designed, informative homepage can make all the difference in creating a positive user experience. The homepage for this client is about promoting themselves as the brand.
Key for a politician to keep their constituents and potential voters updated on their ongoing work, important issues and serves as an archive for the future.
Having a clear and accessible contact page on your website as a politician is vital for building trust and fostering communication with your constituents. It makes it easy for them to get in touch with you and helps establish a relationship, essential as a politician.