Neale Richmond | |
|---|---|
_(cropped).jpg) Richmond in 2024 | |
| Minister of State | |
| 2025– | Foreign Affairs and Trade |
| 2024–2025 | Finance |
| 2023–2024 | Enterprise, Trade and Employment |
| 2023–2024 | Social Protection |
| Teachta Dála | |
| Assumed office February 2020 | |
| Constituency | Dublin Rathdown |
| Senator | |
| In office 8 June 2016 – 8 February 2020 | |
| Constituency | Labour Panel |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1983-03-15)15 March 1983 (age 42) Ballinteer,Dublin, Ireland |
| Political party | Fine Gael |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | Wesley College |
| Alma mater | University College Dublin |
Neale Richmond (born 15 March 1983) is an IrishFine Gael politician who has served asMinister of State since 2023. He has been aTeachta Dála (TD) for theDublin Rathdown constituency since the2020 general election. He previously served as aSenator for theLabour Panel from 2016 to 2020.[1]
A native ofBallinteer, Dublin, Richmond was educated at Taney Parish Primary School andWesley College, before graduating fromUniversity College Dublin (UCD), with a BA in history in 2004 and an MA in political science in 2005.[2] He lives inStepaside with his wife and family. His older brother Graham Richmond is a member ofWicklow County Council.[3] Richmond is a member of theChurch of Ireland.[4]
While studying in UCD, Richmond was chair of the UCD branch ofYoung Fine Gael.[2] After leaving college, he began working forGay Mitchell in theEuropean Parliament.[5]
He was elected toDún Laoghaire–Rathdown County Council in2009 to represent the Glencullen–Sandyford local electoral area.[6] Richmond was re-elected to the Council in2014 on the first count.[7] Following his re-election to the council, he was appointed by theTaoiseach as one of Ireland's nine delegates to theEuropean Committee of the Regions.
From 2011 to 2016, Richmond served as the parliamentary assistant toOlivia Mitchell. After announcing that she would retire at the2016 general election, Mitchell backed Richmond to run in Dublin Rathdown in her place,[8][9] and he was seen as the favourite to be selected for Fine Gael, butJosepha Madigan andAlan Shatter defeated him in the selection convention.[10]
He was elected toSeanad Éireann in 2016 for theLabour Panel.[11] He was appointed Chair of the Seanad Select Committee on the decision of theUnited Kingdom to leave theEuropean Union on 23 February 2017.[12]
Following the2020 general election, Richmond was elected toDáil Éireann as a Fine GaelTD for theDublin Rathdown constituency, taking the second seat in the three-seat constituency behindCatherine Martin and ahead of party colleagueJosepha Madigan.
On 13 January 2023, Richmond was appointed asMinister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment andMinister of State at the Department of Social Protection following the resignation ofDamien English.[13]
On 10 April 2024, Richmond was appointed asMinister of State at the Department of Finance following the appointment ofSimon Harris as Taoiseach.[14]
At the2024 general election, Richmond was re-elected to the Dáil.
Richmond is a strong advocate of theEuropean Union and Ireland's interests in it. He is an outspoken critic ofBrexit. Richmond has expressed his opposition toIrish neutrality, describing it as "morally degenerate".[15] He was a columnist atSlugger O'Toole.[16]
Richmond stated his initial disinterest in, but ultimate support for, the issue ofsame-sex marriage.[17] He supported thereferendum to repeal the Eighth Amendment.[18]
Richmond is a vocal proponent of aUnited Ireland. He has been a prominent supporter of theIreland's Future campaign for a United Ireland, speaking at multiple events in Ireland and the UK[19] He produced a paper entitled "Towards a New Ireland" advocating for a United Ireland and how it could be achieved, which he delivered at theUniversity of Cambridge in April 2021.[20][21] In 2022, Richmond called for theGovernment of Ireland to prepare for a border poll on Irish unity, including the establishment of an all-party specialOireachtas committee to address associated challenges and opportunities.[22][23][24][25] Richmond has stated that the debate on Irish unity must transition from "aspirational to achievable", in order to "clearly map out what our vision for a new State would look like."[26] He is in favour of theRepublic of Ireland rejoiningthe Commonwealth in the context of aUnited Ireland.[27]
Richmond wears the Irish branch of theRoyal British Legion's "shamrock remembrance poppy"[28] to commemorate 200,000 Irish soldiers who fought and 35,000 Irish soldiers who died inWorld War I.[29][30] He has been strongly critical ofSinn Féin and theProvisional IRA.[31] Richmond has stated that he believes theEaster lily "has become offensive".[32] Richmond has attendedJuly 12th celebrations marking theBattle of the Boyne and has had meetings with the Orange Order, which his grandfather was a member of.[33][34]
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment 2023–2024 With:Dara Calleary (2022–present) | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Minister of State at the Department of Finance 2024–2025 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade 2025–present | Incumbent |