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Michael O'Leary (politician)

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Michael O'Leary
Judge of the District Court
In office
20 March 1997 – 1 May 2006
Nominated byGovernment of Ireland
Appointed byMary Robinson
Tánaiste
In office
30 June 1981 – 9 March 1982
TaoiseachGarret FitzGerald
Preceded byGeorge Colley
Succeeded byRay MacSharry
Leader of the Labour Party
In office
17 June 1981 – 1 November 1982
Preceded byFrank Cluskey
Succeeded byDick Spring
Minister for Energy
In office
30 June 1981 – 9 March 1982
TaoiseachGarret FitzGerald
Preceded byGeorge Colley
Succeeded byAlbert Reynolds
Minister for Labour
In office
14 March 1973 – 5 July 1977
TaoiseachLiam Cosgrave
Preceded byJoseph Brennan
Succeeded byGene Fitzgerald
Teachta Dála
In office
November 1982 – February 1987
ConstituencyDublin South-West
In office
June 1981 – February 1982
ConstituencyDublin Central
In office
April 1965 – June 1977
ConstituencyDublin North-Central
Member of the European Parliament
In office
1 July 1979 – 20 June 1984
ConstituencyDublin
Personal details
Born(1936-05-08)8 May 1936
Cork, Ireland
Died11 May 2006(2006-05-11) (aged 70)
Saint-Sever-de-Rustan, France
Resting placeSaint-Sever Abbey,
Landes, France
Political partyFine Gael
Other political
affiliations
Labour Party (until 1982)
Spouse(s)Mary O'Leary
(m. 1965; d. 2006)
Children3
EducationPresentation Brothers College, Cork
Alma mater

Michael O'Leary (8 May 1936 – 11 May 2006) was an Irish judge, politician and barrister who served as a Judge of the District Court from 1997 to 2006, Tánaiste and Minister for Energy from 1981 to 1982, Leader of the Labour Party from 1981 to 1982 and Minister for Labour from 1973 to 1977. He served as a Teachta Dála (TD) from 1965 to 1977, 1981 to 1982 and 1982 to 1987. He was a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) from 1979 to 1984.[1]

He resigned from the Labour Party in 1982 to join Fine Gael.

Early life

O'Leary was born in Cork in 1936. He the son of a publican, O'Leary was educated at Presentation College, University College Cork, Columbia University, and King's Inns. On returning to Ireland, he became involved in the Labour Party and was employed as Education Officer for the Irish Transport and General Workers' Union (ITGWU). In this rôle he was instrumental in establishing the Universities Branch, affiliated to Dublin North-Central constituency, bringing together Dublin University Fabian Society and University College Dublin Labour Party students.

Political career

O'Leary was first elected to Dáil Éireann as a Labour Party TD for Dublin North-Central at the 1965 general election.[2] His agent was Bob Mitchell, Chairman of Dublin University Fabian Society, who could claim credit in a dirty campaign for picking up transfers to squeeze out the Labour Party front-runner on the 11th recount.

When he was first elected to the Dáil, O'Leary encouraged the Labour Party to take a more left-wing stance in its policies. He was initially strongly opposed to the idea of a coalition with Fine Gael, but following the 1969 general election he believed that there was a need for a new approach. When the Labour Party and Fine Gael formed the National Coalition government following the 1973 general election he was appointed Minister for Labour.

In 1977, he was narrowly defeated by Frank Cluskey for the leadership of the party. O'Leary was elected to the European Parliament for the Dublin constituency in 1979.

Cluskey resigned as Labour Party leader when he lost his Dáil seat at the 1981 general election and O'Leary was elected unanimously to succeed him. In the short-lived Fine Gael–Labour Party government of 1981 to 1982, O'Leary became Tánaiste and Minister for Energy. After the government's defeat at the February 1982 general election he remained as leader until he suddenly resigned both the leadership and his party membership on October 28 in the aftermath of a party conference vote on a potential coalition with Fine Gael. On November 2 he joined Fine Gael, subsequently being elected a TD for that party in the Dublin South-West constituency at the November 1982 general election. He was kept out of cabinet office by his former Labour colleagues.

In 1985, O'Leary introduced a private member's bill on divorce which forced the government into holding the 1986 divorce referendum.

When the Progressive Democrats were formed in 1985 he considered joining, but remained loyal to Fine Gael and Taoiseach Garret FitzGerald.

He did not contest the 1987 general election and afterwards he moved back to Cork and practised as a barrister. He was elected as a Fine Gael member of Cork City Council at the 1991 local elections. He unsuccessfully contested the 1992 general election in Cork North-Central and received about 2% of the valid poll.[3]

He was appointed a District Court judge in 1997 by the Fine Gael–Labour Party–Democratic Left coalition government.

Death

O'Leary died in France in May 2006, following a drowning accident in a swimming pool.[3] He was on holiday, having retired as a judge just days earlier.

References

  1. ^ "Michael O'Leary". Oireachtas Members Database. Retrieved 25 October 2012.
  2. ^ "Michael O'Leary". ElectionsIreland.org. Retrieved 25 October 2012.
  3. ^ a b "Former Tánaiste Michael O'Leary dies in France". RTÉ News. 12 May 2006.
Political offices
Preceded by Minister for Labour
1973–1977
Succeeded by
Preceded by Tánaiste
1981–1982
Succeeded by
Minister for Energy
1981–1982
Succeeded by
Party political offices
Preceded by Leader of the Labour Party
1981–1982
Succeeded by