[2] During her tenure in education from 1982 to 1986, she introduced lasting reforms, such as the establishment of aural and oral exams and the creation of the National Parents Council.

[3] Additionally, Hussey campaigned throughout the 1980s for the legalisation of divorce, a highly divisive issue at the time.

[7] She was elected by the National University to Seanad Éireann, serving in the upper house of the Oireachtas, from 1977 until 1982.

[1] Hussey served as Minister for Education in the Fine Gael–Labour Party coalition government of Taoiseach Garret FitzGerald from 1982 to 1986, during which time she was heavily criticised by teachers' unions during a bitter pay strike in 1984.

[9] The 1980s was a decade of economic crisis and the government was faced with challenges caused by the precarious state of the public finances.

[3][12] A member of Fine Gael's liberal wing, which included Monica Barnes, Nuala Fennell, Alan Shatter and Alan Dukes, she was disliked by the conservative wing of the party which included TDs like Oliver J. Flanagan, Alice Glenn and Gerry L'Estrange.

An enthusiastic Europhile, Hussey spent a lot of her time promoting the advancement of women in politics around the European Union.

In 2015, during the public debates held before the 2015 referendum on Marriage Equality in Ireland, Hussey called for a yes vote, and also for the legislation of abortion.