Paul Gogarty | |
|---|---|
_(cropped).jpg) Gogarty in 2024 | |
| Teachta Dála | |
| Assumed office November 2024 | |
| In office May 2002 – February 2011 | |
| Constituency | Dublin Mid-West |
| South Dublin County Councillor | |
| In office 14 May 2014 – 1 December 2024 | |
| Constituency | Lucan |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1968-12-20)20 December 1968 (age 56) Castlepollard,County Westmeath, Ireland |
| Political party | Independent |
| Other political affiliations |
|
| Alma mater | Dublin Institute of Technology |
| Website | paulgogarty |
Paul Nicholas Gogarty (born 20 December 1968) is an Irishindependent politician who has been aTeachta Dála (TD) for theDublin Mid-West constituency since the2024 general election. Gogarty was previously aSouth Dublin County Councillor forLucan from May 2014 onwards. Before that, Gogarty was a member of theGreen Party, and served as a GreenTeachta Dála (TD) for theDublin Mid-West constituency from 2002 to 2011.[1][2][3][4]
Gogarty joined theGreen Party in 1989 as a student.[5] He ran unsuccessfully in the1991 local elections forFingal County Council.[6] He was first elected at the1999 local elections for theLucanlocal electoral area ofSouth Dublin County Council.[7]
Gogarty previously contested the1992[8] and1997[9] general elections in theDublin West constituency. He also ran at the1996 Dublin West by-election caused by the death ofBrian Lenihan Snr.[10]At the2002 general election, he was elected to the Dáil for the newDublin Mid-West constituency.[11] He was the first Green Party member to be elected in a three-seat constituency.[citation needed] After his election, Gogarty gave up his local council seat, in line with Green Party policy against dual-mandate and was succeeded by the late Fintan McCarthy.[citation needed] At the2007 general election, he retained his Dáil seat, taking the second seat in the enlarged constituency.[12]
Following the Green Party's entry to government in 2007, Gogarty was appointed Chairman of theOireachtas Committee on Education and Science.[13]
In 2002, 2003 and again in 2008, Gogarty called for the pay of members of theOireachtas to be cut. In November 2003, he described the decision to raise TDs pay by 13% during the Celtic Tiger era, compared with 6% for pensioners and social welfare recipients as a "urination" on the less well off in society.[14]
On 3 August 2010, Gogarty wrote to the Clerk of the Seanad[citation needed] asking that newspaper claims alleging that SenatorIvor Callely had supplied phone expenses claims on headed paper belonging to a company which no longer existed be investigated. Gogarty appeared on the RTÉ Joe Duffy radio show discussing this issue.[citation needed] He went to Lucan Garda station the next day and requested an investigation.[15]
In November 2010, he brought his 18-month-old daughter to a Green Party press conference.[16] The following day, many callers to a radio show criticised his decision. He responded that his regular child minder was not available when the press conference was called.[17]
Gogarty's work in protecting educational investment during a period of cutbacks has been widely reported in the media, including a profile inThe Irish Times in November 2010, which claimed that his contribution was recognised by admirers and detractors alike.[18]
On 11 December 2009, during his contribution[19] to a debate in the Dáil on the Social Welfare bill of the2010 budget, Gogarty said toLabour Party TDEmmet Stagg: "With all due respect, in the most unparliamentary language, fuck you Deputy Stagg! Fuck you!"[20] He immediately apologised to the House for his use ofunparliamentary language,[21] which was criticised by DeputyLucinda Creighton, who demanded his suspension.[22] The incident was referred to a sitting of the Dáil committee on procedure and privileges, when it emerged that "fuck" is not included among the list of forbidden words set out in theSalient Rulings of the Chair, the document which regulates the behaviour and conduct of TDs.[23] Gogarty later clarified that the outburst was totally unintentional and not premeditated as some had suggested.[24] He also said that the outburst had to be taken in the context of his contribution during the debate that day[25] as well as a very turbulent and heated debate the previous night.[26]
Gogarty lost his seat at the2011 general election, polling 3.47% of thefirst-preference votes and losing his right to reclaim election expenses.[27][28]
Gogarty withdrew from politics until 2014 after losing his Dáil seat, and let his membership of the Green Party lapse.[29] In early 2014, he decided to run forSouth Dublin County Council inlocal elections that June.[29] He considered returning to the Green Party but ultimately ran a "low key campaign" as an independent.[29] He was elected on the 11th count to the fourth of eight seats in the Lucan local electoral area.[30]
In September 2015, Gogarty announced his intention to contest the2016 general election as part of theIndependent Alliance in theDublin Mid-West constituency.[4] He failed to be elected, receiving 5.9% of first preferences. He served as Mayor of South Dublin County Council from 2017 to 2018.[1] He ran in the2019 Dublin Mid-West by-election, finishing third with 12.7% FPV.[31] He was also an unsuccessful candidate for Dublin Mid-West at the2020 general election.[32][33]
Gogarty was a successful candidate at the2024 Irish general election, securing a seat inDublin Mid-West.[34]
In June 2011, he spent four days filming at the "Charity ICA Bootcamp" inCounty Louth. The show was broadcast onRTÉ One the following August. He raised €5,000 for Pieta House, a suicide prevention and awareness charity. From July to November 2011, Gogarty was involved in season 4 of theRTÉ television seriesCelebrity Bainisteoir managing Oughterard's Seamus Ó Máille GAA Club, Galway. He was beaten byTony Cascarino's team.[35][36]
In August 2012, he released his debut single "Wishing on a Photograph" under the stage name of His Sweet Surprise.[37] His third single "Know You All My Life" reached number one on the 7Digital Download Chart in January 2013.[38] He released a music album on 17 February 2013.[39]