Seán Barrett (politician): Difference between revisions
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'''Seán Barrett''' ({{lang-ga|Seán Ó Bairéad}}; born [[August 9]], [[1944]]), is an [[Ireland|Irish]] [[Fine Gael]] politician, he is currently a [[Teachta Dála]] (TD) for the [[Dún Laoghaire (Dáil Éireann constituency)|Dún Laoghaire]] constituency. He was educated at [[C.B.C. Monkstown]] and [[Presentation Brothers]] College, Glasthule, Co Dublin. Before Barrett entered politics he was a partner in a successful Dublin-based insurance brokerage firm. |
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'''Seán Barrett''' ({{lang-ga|Seán Ó Bairéad}}; born [[9 August]] [[1944]])<ref>{{cite web |url=http://oireachtas.ie/members-hist/default.asp?housetype=0&HouseNum=30&MemberID=26&ConstID=97 |title=Mr. Sean Barrett |author= |work=Oireachtas Members Database |date= |accessdate=2008-01-12}}</ref> is an [[Republic of Ireland|Irish]] [[Fine Gael]] politician. A former cabinet minster, he is currently a [[Teachta Dála]] (TD) for the [[Dún Laoghaire (Dáil Éireann constituency)|Dún Laoghaire constituency]]. |
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== Early life == |
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He was educated at [[C.B.C. Monkstown]] and [[Presentation Brothers]] College in [[Glasthule]], Co Dublin. Before Barrett entered politics he was a partner in a successful Dublin-based insurance brokerage firm (Barrett, Hegarty Moloney, established in 1980).<ref name="fg-sb">{{cite web |url=http://seanbarrett.finegael.ie/Representatives/common/index.cfm/TD_Key/865 |title=Sean Barrett TD |author= |work=Fine Gael website |date= |accessdate=2008-01-12}}</ref> A keen fan of horse-racing,<ref name="examiner-1999-11-20">{{cite news |url=http://archives.tcm.ie/irishexaminer/1999/11/20/ipage_18.htm |title=FG Chief Whip to step down at next election |author=Karl Brophy |work=The Irish Examiner |date=[[20 November]] [[1999]] |accessdate=2008-01-12}}</ref> in 1987 he also established Sean Barrett Bloodstock Insurances Ltd.<ref name="fg-sb" /> |
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==Political life== |
==Political life== |
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He first became involved in local politics, serving on [[Dublin County Council]] from 1974 until 1982. He was a member of Dublin County Council between 1991 and 1993 and then served as a member of the [[Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown]] County Council until 1995. |
He first became involved in local politics, serving on [[Dublin County Council]] from 1974 until 1982. He was a member of Dublin County Council between 1991 and 1993 and then served as a member of the [[Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown]] County Council until 1995. |
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At the [[Irish general election, 1977|1977 general election]], Barrett stood as a Fine Gael candidate in the [[Dublin County South (Dáil Éireann constituency)|Dublin County South]], but failed to win a seat. He was first elected to [[Dáil Éireann]] when he stood in the [[Dún Laoghaire (Dáil Éireann constituency)|Dún Laoghaire constituency]] at the [[Irish general election, 1981|1981 general election]], where he was returned at each subsequent election until his retirement at the [[Irish general election, 2002|2002 general election]]. He came out of retirement to successfully contest the [[Irish general election, 2007|2007 general election]].<ref name="electionsireland">{{cite web |url=http://www.electionsireland.org/candidate.cfm?ID=3160 |title= Sean Barrett |author= |work=ElectionsIreland.org |date= |accessdate=2008-01-12}}</ref> |
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In December 1982 [[Garret FitzGerald]] became [[Taoiseach]] and Barrett was appointed [[Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach|Government Chief Whip]] and [[Minister of State (Ireland)|Minister of State]] at the Departments of An Taoiseach and Defence. Between February 1986 and March 1987 he served as Leader of the House with responsibility for Dáil Reform and Minister of State at the Department of Education. |
In December 1982 [[Garret FitzGerald]] became [[Taoiseach]] for the second time and Barrett was appointed [[Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach|Government Chief Whip]] and [[Minister of State (Ireland)|Minister of State]] at the Departments of An Taoiseach and Defence. Between February 1986 and March 1987 he served as Leader of the House with responsibility for Dáil Reform and Minister of State at the Department of Education. |
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[[John Bruton]]'s |
[[John Bruton]]'s [[Rainbow Coalition]] came to power in 1994 and Barrett was again appointed as Government Chief Whip and Minister of State at the Departments of An Taoiseach and Defence. In 1995 the late [[Hugh Coveney]] TD resigned from the Cabinet in controversial circumstances. Barrett was then appointed [[Minister for Defence (Ireland)|Minister for Defence]] and [[Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (Ireland)|Minister for the Marine]]. During his tenure Barrett dealt with the [[Irish Army deafness claims|army deafness compensation issue]] that ultimately resulted in claims of approximately £300 million (€381 million) altogether against the State. There were approximately 9,000 claims by soldiers whose deafness arose from a failure to wear appropriate ear protection during firing exercises. There are 8,500 men and women serving in the [[Irish Army]] in 2006. Barrett's short ministerial career was blighted by critical remarks from [[Garda Síochána|Garda]] and army officers directed towards the Minister. His term as Minister ended when the Government lost power in the [[Irish general election, 1997|1997 general election]]. |
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In 1999, he announced that he would not contest the next election, saying "at this stage, I believe it is time to make way for the next generation who must be given the chance to make their own contribution."<ref name="examiner-1999-11-20" /> |
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| ⚫ | When Barrett, [[Liam T. Cosgrave]] and [[Monica Barnes]] were each first elected in 1981 Fine Gael secured three of the five seats and 48% of the first preference vote in Dún Laoghaire. But this massive vote of confidence waned over the following years and |
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| ⚫ | When Barrett, [[Liam T. Cosgrave]] and [[Monica Barnes]] were each first elected in 1981, Fine Gael secured three of the five seats and 48% of the first preference vote in Dún Laoghaire. But this massive vote of confidence waned over the following years and when Barrett and Barnes retired at the [[Irish general election, 2002|2002 general election]], Fine Gael failed to win even one seat in Dún Laoghaire.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.electionsireland.org/result.cfm?election=2002&cons=113 |title=General Election, 17 May 2002: Dun Laoghaire |author= |work= |date= |work=ElectionsIreland.org |date= |accessdate=2008-01-12}}</ref> |
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=== Comeback === |
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In February 2006 Barrett announced that he wanted to come back from retirement, and stand again as a Fine Gael candidate at the next general election. He insisted that he would stand only if selected by the local party members, and would not accept being imposed as a candidate by Fine Gael headquarters.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.independent.ie/national-news/barrett-returns-to-contest-election-98363.html |title=Barrett returns to contest election |author=Fionnan Sheahan |work=The Irish Independent |date= [[17 May]] [[2006]]|accessdate=2008-01-12}}</ref> |
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At a selection meeting in [[Dalkey]] in May 2006, Barrett and barrister [[Eugene Regan]] were chosen as Fine Gael's two candidates in the [[Dún Laoghaire (Dáil Éireann constituency)|Dún Laoghaire constituency]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.independent.ie/national-news/barrett-wins-right-to-fight-for-seat-at-next-election-100690.html |title=Barrett wins right to fight for seat at next election |author=Fionnan Sheahan |work=The Irish Independent |date=[[31 May]] [[2006]] |accessdate=2008-01-12}}</ref> With return of Barrett, the party was confident of winning two of the five seats, but at the [[Irish general election, 2007|general election in May 2007]], Barrett was the fourth candidate returned to the [[30th Dáil]] and Regan was not elected.<ref name="electionsireland" /> |
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Barrett did not return to Fine Gael's [[front bench]], but became Chairperson of the [[Oireachtas]] Joint Committee on [[Climate Change]] and Energy Security].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/breaking/2007/1024/breaking71.htm |title=Committee chairmanships announced |author= |work=The Irish Times |date=[[24 October]] [[2007]] |accessdate=2008-01-12}}</ref> |
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==The Mahon Tribunal== |
==The Mahon Tribunal== |
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In evidence to [[The Mahon Tribunal]] on [[8 June]] [[2006]],<ref>{{cite web | title = Evidence of Seán Barrett to Mahon Tribunal, 8 June 2006 | url = http://www.flood-tribunal.ie/images/SITECONTENT_477.pdf |work = The Tribunal of Inquiry into Certain Planning Matters & Payments| accessdate = 2006-08-12 }}</ref> Barrett stated that while a member of Dublin County Council in the early 1990's, he was approached by a stranger with a proposition that he would be paid a professional consultancy fee of approximately £80,000 (€101,600) to assist in a land-swap involving either [[Killiney Golf Club]] or [[Dún Laoghaire Golf Club]] with land owned at [[Cherrywood]], County Dublin by Monarch Properties, a property development company. Barrett told the Tribunal that he immediately rejected this proposition and acknowledged that had be accepted this would have brought him into conflict with his role as a councillor. He also expressed disgust at rumours that circulated in the Irish media and elsewhere over the past decade, or so, to the effect that he accepted large payments which he categorically told the Tribunal was not the case. |
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He did receive an unsolicited cheque for £600 in 1991 which he told the Tribunal was lodged to a Fine Gael Dún Laoghaire constituency bank account. Documentation provided by the Tribunal showed that Barrett received a cheque for £500 prior to the November 1992 election, that he had no recollection of. A further cheque for £1,000 was paid by Monarch Properties in respect of a constituency fund raising gala dinner, to Fine Gael in 1995. |
He did receive an unsolicited cheque for £600 in 1991 which he told the Tribunal was lodged to a Fine Gael Dún Laoghaire constituency bank account. Documentation provided by the Tribunal showed that Barrett received a cheque for £500 prior to the November 1992 election, that he had no recollection of. A further cheque for £1,000 was paid by Monarch Properties in respect of a constituency fund raising gala dinner, to Fine Gael in 1995. |
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===Fine Gael |
===Fine Gael condemns Barrett 'outrage'=== |
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A report in [[The Irish Times]]<ref>{{cite news | url =http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/ireland/2006/0715/pf2239110679HM7SEANBARRETT.html|title = FG condemns Barrett tribunal 'outrage' | date = [[2006-07-15]] | publisher = The Irish Times | accessdate = 2006-08-13 }}</ref> |
A report in [[The Irish Times]]<ref>{{cite news | url =http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/ireland/2006/0715/pf2239110679HM7SEANBARRETT.html|title = FG condemns Barrett tribunal 'outrage' | date = [[2006-07-15]] | publisher = The Irish Times | accessdate = 2006-08-13 }}</ref> on [[15 July]] [[2006]] described the Tribunal "as an outrage and a disgrace" for allowing unfounded allegations to be made against Barrett. [[Fine Gael]], through its solicitor, expressed regret to the Tribunal on [[25 July]] for this remark, describing it as 'inappropriate'.<ref>{{cite web | title = Correspondence with Kevin O'Higgins, solicitor for Fine Gael, 25 July 2006 | url = http://www.flood-tribunal.ie/images/SITECONTENT_499.pdf |work = The Tribunal of Inquiry into Certain Planning Matters & Payments| accessdate = 2006-08-12 }}</ref> |
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on [[July 15]] [[2006]] described the Tribunal "as an outrage and a disgrace" for allowing unfounded allegations to be made against Barrett. [[Fine Gael]], through its solicitor, expressed regret to the Tribunal on [[July 25]] for this remark, describing it as 'inappropriate' |
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<ref>{{cite web | title = Correspondence with Kevin O'Higgins, solicitor for Fine Gael, 25 July 2006 | url = http://www.flood-tribunal.ie/images/SITECONTENT_499.pdf |work = The Tribunal of Inquiry into Certain Planning Matters & Payments| accessdate = 2006-08-12 }}</ref>. |
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==References== |
==References== |
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{{reflist}} |
{{reflist|2}} |
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==External links== |
==External links== |
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*[http://seanbarrett.finegael.ie/Representatives/common/index.cfm/TD_Key/865 Seán Barrett's page on the Fine Gael website |
*[http://seanbarrett.finegael.ie/Representatives/common/index.cfm/TD_Key/865 Seán Barrett's page on the Fine Gael website |
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*[http://www.military.ie/army/intro.htm/ Irish Army] |
*[http://www.military.ie/army/intro.htm/ Irish Army] |
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*[http://www.dunlaoghairegolfclub.ie/ Dún Laoghaire Golf Club] |
*[http://www.dunlaoghairegolfclub.ie/ Dún Laoghaire Golf Club] |
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Revision as of 01:05, 13 January 2008
Seán Barrett (Template:Lang-ga; born 9 August 1944)[1] is an Irish Fine Gael politician. A former cabinet minster, he is currently a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Dún Laoghaire constituency.
Early life
He was educated at C.B.C. Monkstown and Presentation Brothers College in Glasthule, Co Dublin. Before Barrett entered politics he was a partner in a successful Dublin-based insurance brokerage firm (Barrett, Hegarty Moloney, established in 1980).[2] A keen fan of horse-racing,[3] in 1987 he also established Sean Barrett Bloodstock Insurances Ltd.[2]
Political life
He first became involved in local politics, serving on Dublin County Council from 1974 until 1982. He was a member of Dublin County Council between 1991 and 1993 and then served as a member of the Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council until 1995.
At the 1977 general election, Barrett stood as a Fine Gael candidate in the Dublin County South, but failed to win a seat. He was first elected to Dáil Éireann when he stood in the Dún Laoghaire constituency at the 1981 general election, where he was returned at each subsequent election until his retirement at the 2002 general election. He came out of retirement to successfully contest the 2007 general election.[4]
In December 1982 Garret FitzGerald became Taoiseach for the second time and Barrett was appointed Government Chief Whip and Minister of State at the Departments of An Taoiseach and Defence. Between February 1986 and March 1987 he served as Leader of the House with responsibility for Dáil Reform and Minister of State at the Department of Education.
John Bruton's Rainbow Coalition came to power in 1994 and Barrett was again appointed as Government Chief Whip and Minister of State at the Departments of An Taoiseach and Defence. In 1995 the late Hugh Coveney TD resigned from the Cabinet in controversial circumstances. Barrett was then appointed Minister for Defence and Minister for the Marine. During his tenure Barrett dealt with the army deafness compensation issue that ultimately resulted in claims of approximately £300 million (€381 million) altogether against the State. There were approximately 9,000 claims by soldiers whose deafness arose from a failure to wear appropriate ear protection during firing exercises. There are 8,500 men and women serving in the Irish Army in 2006. Barrett's short ministerial career was blighted by critical remarks from Garda and army officers directed towards the Minister. His term as Minister ended when the Government lost power in the 1997 general election.
In 1999, he announced that he would not contest the next election, saying "at this stage, I believe it is time to make way for the next generation who must be given the chance to make their own contribution."[3]
When Barrett, Liam T. Cosgrave and Monica Barnes were each first elected in 1981, Fine Gael secured three of the five seats and 48% of the first preference vote in Dún Laoghaire. But this massive vote of confidence waned over the following years and when Barrett and Barnes retired at the 2002 general election, Fine Gael failed to win even one seat in Dún Laoghaire.[5]
Comeback
In February 2006 Barrett announced that he wanted to come back from retirement, and stand again as a Fine Gael candidate at the next general election. He insisted that he would stand only if selected by the local party members, and would not accept being imposed as a candidate by Fine Gael headquarters.[6]
At a selection meeting in Dalkey in May 2006, Barrett and barrister Eugene Regan were chosen as Fine Gael's two candidates in the Dún Laoghaire constituency.[7] With return of Barrett, the party was confident of winning two of the five seats, but at the general election in May 2007, Barrett was the fourth candidate returned to the 30th Dáil and Regan was not elected.[4]
Barrett did not return to Fine Gael's front bench, but became Chairperson of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Climate Change and Energy Security].[8]
The Mahon Tribunal
In evidence to The Mahon Tribunal on 8 June 2006,[9] Barrett stated that while a member of Dublin County Council in the early 1990's, he was approached by a stranger with a proposition that he would be paid a professional consultancy fee of approximately £80,000 (€101,600) to assist in a land-swap involving either Killiney Golf Club or Dún Laoghaire Golf Club with land owned at Cherrywood, County Dublin by Monarch Properties, a property development company. Barrett told the Tribunal that he immediately rejected this proposition and acknowledged that had be accepted this would have brought him into conflict with his role as a councillor. He also expressed disgust at rumours that circulated in the Irish media and elsewhere over the past decade, or so, to the effect that he accepted large payments which he categorically told the Tribunal was not the case.
He did receive an unsolicited cheque for £600 in 1991 which he told the Tribunal was lodged to a Fine Gael Dún Laoghaire constituency bank account. Documentation provided by the Tribunal showed that Barrett received a cheque for £500 prior to the November 1992 election, that he had no recollection of. A further cheque for £1,000 was paid by Monarch Properties in respect of a constituency fund raising gala dinner, to Fine Gael in 1995.
Fine Gael condemns Barrett 'outrage'
A report in The Irish Times[10] on 15 July 2006 described the Tribunal "as an outrage and a disgrace" for allowing unfounded allegations to be made against Barrett. Fine Gael, through its solicitor, expressed regret to the Tribunal on 25 July for this remark, describing it as 'inappropriate'.[11]
References
- ^ "Mr. Sean Barrett". Oireachtas Members Database. Retrieved 2008-01-12.
- ^ a b "Sean Barrett TD". Fine Gael website. Retrieved 2008-01-12.
- ^ a b Karl Brophy (20 November 1999). "FG Chief Whip to step down at next election". The Irish Examiner. Retrieved 2008-01-12.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ a b "Sean Barrett". ElectionsIreland.org. Retrieved 2008-01-12.
- ^ "General Election, 17 May 2002: Dun Laoghaire". ElectionsIreland.org. Retrieved 2008-01-12.
- ^ Fionnan Sheahan (17 May 2006). "Barrett returns to contest election". The Irish Independent. Retrieved 2008-01-12.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Fionnan Sheahan (31 May 2006). "Barrett wins right to fight for seat at next election". The Irish Independent. Retrieved 2008-01-12.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ "Committee chairmanships announced". The Irish Times. 24 October 2007. Retrieved 2008-01-12.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ "Evidence of Seán Barrett to Mahon Tribunal, 8 June 2006" (PDF). The Tribunal of Inquiry into Certain Planning Matters & Payments. Retrieved 2006-08-12.
- ^ "FG condemns Barrett tribunal 'outrage'". The Irish Times. 2006-07-15. Retrieved 2006-08-13.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ "Correspondence with Kevin O'Higgins, solicitor for Fine Gael, 25 July 2006" (PDF). The Tribunal of Inquiry into Certain Planning Matters & Payments. Retrieved 2006-08-12.
External links
- [http://seanbarrett.finegael.ie/Representatives/common/index.cfm/TD_Key/865 Seán Barrett's page on the Fine Gael website
- Irish Army
- Dún Laoghaire Golf Club