Paul Bradford (born 1 December 1963) is an Irish former politician who served as a

Senator A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or Legislative chamber, chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the Ancient Rome, ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior ...

for the

Agricultural Panel The Agricultural Panel is one of five vocational panels which together elect 43 of the 60 members of Seanad Éireann, the senate of the Oireachtas (the legislature of Ireland). The Agricultural Panel elects eleven senators. Election Article 18 ...

from 1987 to 1989 and 2002 to 2016. He served as a

Teachta Dála A Teachta Dála ( ; ; plural ), abbreviated as TD (plural ''TDanna'' in Irish language, Irish, TDs in English), is a member of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas, the parliament of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. The official Engli ...

(TD) for the Cork East constituency from 1989 to 2002.

Early and private life

Bradford was born in Mourne Abbey near

Mallow, County Cork Mallow (; ) is a town in County Cork, Ireland, approximately thirty-five kilometres north of Cork (city), Cork City. Mallow is in a townland and Civil parishes in Ireland, civil parish of the same name, in the Fermoy (barony), barony of Fermoy. ...

in 1963. He was educated at the Patrician Academy in Mallow. He is married to former

Renua The Centre Party of Ireland, formerly Renua, is a fringe political party in Ireland. The party was launched on 13 March 2015, with former Fine Gael TD Lucinda Creighton as founding leader. Prior to its launch it had used the slogan Reboot Ire ...

Lucinda Creighton Lucinda Creighton (born 20 January 1980) is an Irish businesswoman and former politician, who served as Minister of State for European Affairs from 2011 to 2013. She was leader of Renua from its March 2015 foundation until May 2016, and served ...

Political career

Bradford became involved in politics at a young age, becoming the youngest-ever member of

Cork County Council Cork County Council () is the local authority of County Cork, Ireland. As a county council, it is governed by the Local Government Act 2001, as amended. The council is responsible for housing and community, roads and transportation, urban pl ...

when he was elected in 1985 at the age of 21. Two years later in 1987 he was elected to the

18th Seanad The 18th Seanad was in office from 1987 to 1989. An election to Seanad Éireann, the Senate of the Oireachtas (Irish parliament), followed the 1987 general election to the 25th Dáil. The senators served until the close of poll for the 19th S ...

on the

, becoming the youngest-ever elected Senator. As a member of Seanad Éireann he was Fine Gael spokesperson on Communications and Energy. At the 1989 general election he was elected to

Dáil Éireann Dáil Éireann ( ; , ) is the lower house and principal chamber of the Oireachtas, which also includes the president of Ireland and a senate called Seanad Éireann.Article 15.1.2° of the Constitution of Ireland reads: "The Oireachtas shall co ...

for the first time for the Cork East constituency. In 1994 he joined

John Bruton John Gerard Bruton (18 May 1947 – 6 February 2024) was an Irish Fine Gael politician who served as Taoiseach from 1994 to 1997 and Leader of Fine Gael from 1990 to 2001. He held cabinet positions between 1981‍ and 1987, including twice ...

's front bench as spokesperson on Defence and the Marine. In 1994, Fine Gael came to power and Bradford became co-chair of the

British–Irish Parliamentary Assembly The British–Irish Parliamentary Assembly (BIPA, ) is a deliberative body consisting of members elected to those national legislative bodies found within Ireland and the United Kingdom, namely the parliaments of the United Kingdom, Ireland, S ...

. In 1997, the party was back in opposition and he was appointed spokesperson on Health, Food Safety and Older People. In 2000, Bradford became spokesperson on Youth Affairs, School Transport and Adult Education. Under Michael Noonan's leadership he was promoted to party

Chief Whip The Chief Whip is a political leader whose task is to enforce the whipping system, which aims to ensure that legislators who are members of a political party attend and vote on legislation as the party leadership prescribes. United Kingdom I ...

, in which position he served until he lost his seat at the 2002 general election. He was subsequently elected to

Seanad Éireann Seanad Éireann ( ; ; "Senate of Ireland") is the senate of the Oireachtas (the Irish legislature), which also comprises the President of Ireland and Dáil Éireann (defined as the house of representatives). It is commonly called the Seanad or ...

as a Senator for the

. He was appointed Fine Gael spokesperson on Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in the Seanad. He was an unsuccessful candidate in Cork East for Dáil Éireann at the 2007 general election but was re-elected to the Seanad. He was again re-elected to the Seanad in 2011. He was the Fine Gael Seanad spokesperson on Justice until July 2013. Bradford was expelled from the Fine Gael parliamentary party on 16 July 2013 when he defied the party whip by voting against the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013. On 13 September 2013, he and six other expellees formed the Reform Alliance, described as a "loose alliance" rather than a political party. He joined

on its foundation in March 2015 and contested the 2016 general election for the party in Cork East, but, like all the party's candidates, failed to win a seat.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bradford, Paul 1963 births Living people Fine Gael TDs Independent members of Seanad Éireann 20th-century Irish farmers Members of the 18th Seanad Members of the 22nd Seanad Members of the 23rd Seanad Members of the 24th Seanad Members of the 26th Dáil Members of the 27th Dáil Members of the 28th Dáil Renua candidates in Dáil elections Spouses of Irish politicians Fine Gael senators 21st-century Irish farmers Members of Cork County Council Agricultural Panel senators