Frank Fahey | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Fahey in 2003 | |
| Minister of State | |
| 2004–2007 | Justice, Equality and Law Reform |
| 2002–2004 | Enterprise, Trade and Employment |
| 1997–2000 | Children |
| 1998–2000 | Justice, Equality and Law Reform |
| 1998–2000 | Education and Science |
| 1997–2000 | Health and Children |
| 1991–1992 | Tourism, Transport and Communications |
| 1989–1991 | Tourism and Transport |
| 1987–1992 | Education |
| Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources | |
| In office 27 January 2000 – 6 June 2002 | |
| Taoiseach | Bertie Ahern |
| Preceded by | Michael Woods |
| Succeeded by | Dermot Ahern |
| Teachta Dála | |
| In office June 1997 – February 2011 | |
| In office February 1982 – November 1992 | |
| Constituency | Galway West |
| Senator | |
| In office 17 February 1993 – 6 June 1997 | |
| Constituency | Labour Panel |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1951-06-06)6 June 1951 (age 74) Galway, Ireland |
| Political party | Fianna Fáil |
| Alma mater | University College Galway |
Frank Fahey (born 6 June 1951) is an Irish property developer and formerFianna Fáil politician who served asMinister for the Marine and Natural Resources from 2000 to 2002 and as aMinister of State in various roles. He served as aTeachta Dála (TD) for theGalway West constituency from 1982 to 1992 and 1997 to 2011. He was aSenator for theLabour Panel from 1993 to 1997.[1]
Frank Fahey was born in June 1951 inGalway. He was educated at St Mary's College, Our Lady's College andUniversity College Galway. He was a schoolteacher before he entered politics.[citation needed]
Fahey was first elected toDáil Éireann at theFebruary 1982 general election.[2] In 1987, he was appointed by the government ofCharles Haughey to the post ofMinister of State at the Department of Education with responsibility for Youth and Sport. He was re-appointed in July 1989, with additional responsibility asMinister of State at the Department of Tourism and Transport from September 1989. He was not retained as a minister whenAlbert Reynolds came to office in February 1992.
He lost his Dáil seat at the1992 general election and was appointed toSeanad Éireann, serving in the20th Seanad until 1997. He returned to the Dáil at the1997 general election and in the new government ofBertie Ahern, he was appointedMinister of State at the Department of Health and Children with responsibility asMinister of State for Children. The role was expanded in 1998 with additional appointments asMinister of State at the Department of Education and Science andat the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform. In January 2000, he was appointed to cabinet asMinister for the Marine and Natural Resources.
Following the re-election of the incumbent government at the2002 general election, Fahey was demoted to the post ofMinister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment with responsibility for Labour Affairs. In a reshuffle in 2004, he was appointed asMinister of State at the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform with responsibility for Equality.
He was re-elected at the2007 general election but not appointed to any ministerial office.[3] He was, however, appointed to head the jointOireachtas committee on Transport.[4]
While Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources in 2000, Fahey launched theLost at Sea scheme to compensate fishermen whose vessels had been lost at sea. In 2004, following a complaint from a late applicant (who had been turned down), the OmbudsmanEmily O'Reilly recommended to the department that latecomers should be considered, saying that the schemes had a "serious defect" in having contacted some fishing families and not others. Via afreedom of information request,The Sunday Business Post found that Fahey had discussed the scheme with two constituents, who later received three quarters (around €2m) of the overall compensation, prior to the announcement - and had written to them about their successful applications prior to the closing date. In 2007, theStandards in Public Office Commission found no problems with Fahey's conduct.[5][6] In 2009, the Ombudsman published a full report into the scheme, again recommending that late applicants receive compensation, but it was blocked from discussion in theOireachtas by the government.[7][8]
In 2000, one of Fahey's last acts as Minister of State for the Marine and Natural Resources was to approve the foreshore licence for the controversial[9]Corrib gas project.[10] In 2002, in connection with this project, he approved the sale of a large area of Irish national forestry atBellanaboy toShell Oil for the building of a gas processing site, which caused much controversy.[11]
The Irish Times reported in 2006 that in 1994, when Fahey was a senator, he became involved in establishing a hair and beauty salon business inMoscow, involving an investment of over £200,000 (€254,000).[12][13] Fahey did not officially declare the interest and at first denied involvement with the salon. Later, he admitted a connection, saying he had travelled to Moscow "as an ordinary citizen to support the investors including my wife who were attempting to set up a hair salon there...the whole thing was part of a regional political campaign by a number of individuals to do damage to my integrity, character and good name".[14]
Fahey has invested in properties in countries including Ireland, France, the US, Dubai and Belgium. He also declared an interest in a construction company and a share portfolio in the Dáil Register of Members Interests.[15][16]
In June 2009,Green Party leaderTrevor Sargent accused Fahey in theDáil oftax avoidance and making inappropriate decisions as a minister, and called on theTaoiseach to sack him.[17]
The2011 general election was disastrous for Fianna Fáil[18] and Fahey lost his seat, his first preference vote declining to 5.7%.[19] He had said in November 2010: "I have no illusions that I will lose my seat".[20] During a public meeting in the run up to the election he and government advisor Alan Aherne were booed and heckled.[21]
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Minister of State at the Department of Education 1987–1992 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Minister of State at the Department of Tourism and Transport 1989–1992 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Minister of State for Children 1997–2000 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources 2000–2002 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment 2002–2004 With:Michael Ahern | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Minister of State at the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform 2004–2007 | Succeeded by |