Ciarán Cannon
Ciarán Cannon | |
|---|---|
| Minister of State for the Diaspora and International Development | |
| Assumed office 20 June 2017 | |
| Taoiseach | Leo Varadkar |
| Preceded by | New office |
| Minister of State for Training and Skills | |
| In office 10 March 2011 – 15 July 2014 | |
| Taoiseach | Enda Kenny |
| Preceded by | New office |
| Succeeded by | Office abolished |
| Teachta Dála | |
| Assumed office February 2011 | |
| Constituency | Galway East |
| Senator | |
| In office 10 August 2007 – 26 February 2011 | |
| Constituency | Nominated by the Taoiseach |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 19 September 1965 Galway, Ireland |
| Political party | Fine Gael |
| Spouse | Niamh Lawless (m. 1996) |
| Children | 1 |
| Alma mater | Trinity College Dublin |
Ciarán Cannon (born 19 September 1965) is an Irish Fine Gael politician who has served as Minister of State for the Diaspora and International Development since June 2017. He has been a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Galway East constituency since the 2011 general election. He previously served as Minister of State for Training and Skills from 2011 to 2014. He was a Senator from 2007 to 2011, upon being Nominated by the Taoiseach.[1][2]
Before entering politics, he was CEO (2002–06) and secretary (2000–02) of IHCPT – The Irish Pilgrimage Trust. In 2002, he was honoured as one of the Galway People of the Year.
As a member of the Progressive Democrats, Cannon was elected to Galway County Council in 2004 to represent the Loughrea electoral area, with 1,307 first preferences. He was a unsuccessful candidate at the 2007 general election in Galway East.[3]
He was nominated by then-Taoiseach Bertie Ahern to the 23rd Seanad in 2007.
Cannon was elected as Leader of the Progressive Democrats in April 2008.[4] He was the first leader of the party to have sat as a Senator while serving as leader. At his first press conference as party leader, he stated that he believed "there was passion, commitment, talent and knowledge within the PDs' ranks to stage a big comeback".[citation needed]
However, after speculation increased that Noel Grealish, one of the two Progressive Democrat TDs, intended to leave the party, Cannon announced in September 2008 that a party conference would be held on 8 November 2008, at which he would recommend that the party disband.[5] The delegates present at the conference voted by 201–161 to agree with this recommendation.[6]
Cannon announced on 24 March 2009 his decision to resign the leadership of the PDs; on the same day he joined Fine Gael.[7]
On 10 March 2011, on his first day as a member of Dáil Éireann, he was appointed as Minister of State for Training and Skills. He was dropped from the government in a reshuffle in July 2014.[8]
He is also an accomplished musician and songwriter, and recently collaborated with Irish folk singer Sean Keane and others on songwriting projects. One of Cannon's compositions, "Nature's Little Symphony", was performed in Dublin by the RTÉ Concert Orchestra as part of the national Cruinniú celebrations on Easter Monday 2017.[9]
He was appointed as Minister of State for the Diaspora and International Development in June 2017.
References
- ^ "Ciarán Cannon appointed Minister of State". GalwayNews.ie. Archived from the original on 11 March 2011. Retrieved 12 March 2011.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ "Mr. Ciarán Cannon". Oireachtas Members Database. Retrieved 7 February 2009.
- ^ "Ciarán Cannon". ElectionsIreland.org. Retrieved 7 February 2009.
- ^ "Cannon elected leader of the Progressive Democrats". The Irish Times. 17 April 2008. Retrieved 17 April 2008.
- ^ "PD Conference to decide party's future". RTÉ News. 16 September 2008.
- ^ "PDs vote to wind up political party". RTÉ News. 8 November 2008. Archived from the original on 11 December 2008. Retrieved 8 November 2008.
{{cite news}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ "Cannon formally joins Fine Gael". RTÉ News. 24 March 2009. Retrieved 25 March 2009.
- ^ "Simon Harris among new Ministers of State". RTÉ News. 15 July 2014.
- ^ http://www.independent.ie/life/family/family-features/bondings-keane-to-make-music-34298868.html
External links
- 1965 births
- Living people
- Fine Gael TDs
- Leaders of Progressive Democrats
- Local councillors in County Galway
- Members of the 23rd Seanad
- Members of the 31st Dáil
- Members of the 32nd Dáil
- Ministers of State of the 31st Dáil
- Politicians from County Galway
- Progressive Democrats TDs
- Nominated members of Seanad Éireann
- Progressive Democrats senators
- Ministers of State of the 32nd Dáil