Alan Farrell | |
|---|---|
.jpeg) Farrell in 2024 | |
| Senator | |
| In office 10 December 2024 – 30 January 2025 | |
| Constituency | Nominated by the Taoiseach |
| Teachta Dála | |
| In office February 2016 – November 2024 | |
| Constituency | Dublin Fingal |
| In office February 2011 – February 2016 | |
| Constituency | Dublin North |
| Chair of theCommittee on Children and Youth Affairs | |
| In office 8 July 2017 – 15 September 2020 | |
| Preceded by | Jim Daly |
| Succeeded by | Kathleen Funchion |
| Chair of the Fine Gael parliamentary party | |
| In office 17 April 2024 – 30 January 2025 | |
| Leader | Simon Harris |
| Preceded by | Alan Dillon |
| Succeeded by | Micheál Carrigy |
| Chair of theCommittee on Communications and Transport | |
| In office 24 September 2024 – 8 November 2024 | |
| Preceded by | Joe Carey |
| Succeeded by | Michael Murphy |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1977-12-29)29 December 1977 (age 47) |
| Political party | Fine Gael |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 2 |
| Alma mater | Dublin City University |
| Website | alanfarrell |
Alan Farrell (born 29 December 1977) is an Irish formerFine Gael politician who served as a member ofSeanad Éireann from December 2024 to January 2025. He was aTeachta Dála (TD) for theDublin North constituency from2011 to2016 and for theDublin Fingal constituency from 2016 until2024. He was chair of theCommittee on Children and Youth Affairs from 2016 to 2020 and chair of theCommittee on Communications and Transport from September to November 2024. He served as chair of the Fine Gael Parliamentary Party from April 2024 to January 2025.[1]
In May 2025, Alan was appointed Senior Director of Government Affairs and Policy at Liquid Gas Ireland.[2]
Farrell served as aFingal County Councillor from 2004 to 2011 and as Mayor ofFingal from 2007 to 2008.[3][4][5]
In the31st Dáil, Farrell was a member of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Equality and Defence and the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform. He was also the chair of the Fine Gael Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform from 2011 to 2013 and the Fine Gael Committee on Justice, Defense and Equality from 2013 to 2016.
Farrell was the subject of controversy after he hired his wife, Emma Doyle, as his temporary parliamentary assistant for four months in the Dáil. This was just two weeks after she was rejected by Farrell's Malahide Fine Gael Party branch as his replacement on Fingal County Council in 2011. Parliamentary assistants salaries range between €41,092 and €52,200 per year, which is paid for by the State.[6]
In 2013, Farrell was appointed Head of the Irish Delegation to theOSCE Parliamentary Assembly byTaoiseachEnda Kenny.[7]
In October 2013, he referred to singerSinéad O'Connor as being "mad as a brush", in atweet. He later issued a brief apology via his website and later deleted the apology.[8]
Farrell was re-elected at the2016 general election.[9] In the32nd Dáil, Farrell was a member of the Public Account Committee[10] and the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice and Equality.[citation needed] Farrell was reappointed as Head of Delegation to the OSCE PA following the formation of Government.[citation needed] He was appointed chair of the Committee on Children and Youth Affairs in July 2017.[11]
Farrell was re-elected at the2020 general election.[12][13][14] On 30 September 2020, he was appointed Fine Gael's spokesperson on Climate Action by party leaderLeo Varadkar.[15]
In April 2024, Farrell succeededAlan Dillon as the chair of the Fine Gael parliamentary party. Farrell retained this position until 30 January 2025, on the election of the new Seanad.[16]
In September 2024, Farrell succeededJoe Carey as the chair of the Oireachtas Committee on Communications & Transport, a role held until the dissolution of the 33rd Dáil.[17][18]
Farrell lost his seat at the2024 general election. On 10 December 2024, he wasnominated by the Taoiseach to the Seanad.[19]
He contested the2025 Seanad election on theIndustrial and Commercial Panel, but was not elected.
Farrell tookHertz Rent A Car to court after one of its vehicles knocked against hisAudi A6 while its driver was engaged in an encounter with a spider which crawled along her arm at a traffic stop. Farrell claimed to have experienced neck and shoulder injuries as a result of the collision, which occurred inDrumcondra on 9 April 2015. In 2018, a photograph - showing Farrell at the time he was supposed to have been injured holding a poster of himself on anelectricity pole while standing on a ladder inSkerries - was shown in Dublin District Court. Judge Michael Coghlan looked unfavourably on the personal injuries claim, ruling that Farrell had not sustained a "significant injury" and awarding him a total of €2,500. Judge Coghlan also noted in court that a separate claim by Farrell for material damage to his car had been relinquished since the accident. Photographs taken by the driver at the scene (none were produced by Farrell) were shown to the court and some difficulty was had in locating the precise damage to Farrell's motor car.[20] TheSunday Independent suggested the case "raises serious questions about Mr Farrell's judgment", contrasting it with insurance problems for motorists and referring to past remarks made by Farrell on Ireland's supposed "compo culture".[21]
In November 2018, Farrell spoke publicly about his lifelong battle againstinsomnia, which often keeps him awake until 4 am. Farrell's insomnia first occurred, he has said, when he was "five or six".[22]
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)| Party political offices | ||
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| Preceded by | Chair of the Fine Gael parliamentary party 2024–2025 | Succeeded by |