Michael Ahern (born 20 January 1949) is an Irish former

Fianna Fáil Fianna Fáil ( ; ; meaning "Soldiers of Destiny" or "Warriors of Fál"), officially Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party (), is a centre to centre-right political party in Ireland. Founded as a republican party in 1926 by Éamon de ...

politician who served as a

Minister of State Minister of state is a designation for a government minister, with varying meanings in different jurisdictions. In a number of European countries, the title is given as an honorific conferring a higher rank, often bestowed upon senior minister ...

from 1992 to 1993 and from 2002 to 2008. 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 1982 to 2011.

Early life

Michael Ahern was born in Dungourney,

County Cork County Cork () is the largest and the southernmost Counties of Ireland, county of Republic of Ireland, Ireland, named after the city of Cork (city), Cork, the state's second-largest city. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster ...

. He was educated at Dungourney National School, Rockwell College,

County Tipperary County Tipperary () is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster and the Southern Region, Ireland, Southern Region. The county is named after the town of Tipperary (tow ...

, and

University College Dublin University College Dublin (), commonly referred to as UCD, is a public research university in Dublin, Ireland, and a collegiate university, member institution of the National University of Ireland. With 38,417 students, it is Ireland's largest ...

where he graduated with a

Bachelor of Arts A Bachelor of Arts (abbreviated B.A., BA, A.B. or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is the holder of a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the liberal arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts deg ...

in Economics, Politics and Psychology. He also attended Holy Ghost Missionary College, Kimmage Manor, Dublin, where he studied Theology. For a brief period in the early 1970s, Ahern worked as a secondary school teacher. In 1973, he became an accountancy student at Coopers & Lybrand, Cork. In 1977, he became financial controller with a building construction firm in

Cork "Cork" or "CORK" may refer to: Materials * Cork (material), an impermeable buoyant plant product ** Stopper (plug), or "cork", a cylindrical or conical object used to seal a container *** Wine cork an item to seal or reseal wine Places Ireland * ...

Personal life

He is married to Margaret Monahan and they have three daughters, one of whom, Barbara Ahern, contested the 2016 general election in Cork East for

unsuccessfully. Michael Ahern is the son of Liam Ahern, 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 ...

between 1957 and 1973, and a TD from 1973 until 1974. Ahern's Grand-uncle, John Dinneen, was also a member of the Dáil between 1922 and 1927. Michael Ahern's brother Maurice Ahern was a long-standing Fianna Fáil 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 ...

but lost his seat in the 2009 local elections.

Political career

Ahern was first 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 ...

at the February 1982 general election and held the until 2011. In 1984, he received his first major promotion when he became Fianna Fáil Deputy spokesperson on Transport in

Charles Haughey Charles James Haughey (; 16 September 1925 – 13 June 2006) was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician who led four governments as Taoiseach: December 1979 to June 1981, March to December 1982, March 1987 to June 1989, and June 1989 to February 1992 ...

's front bench. During his career in the Dáil, Ahern has served on a number of committees, including the Public Accounts Committee, the Joint Committee of Health and Children and the Joint Committee on Finance and Public Service. Between 1992 and 1993, he served as Minister of State at the Department of Industry and Commerce with responsibility for Science and Technology. Between 1994 and 1997, he served as Opposition Spokesperson on the

Office of Public Works The Office of Public Works (OPW) (; legally the Commissioners of Public Works in Ireland) is a major Government of Ireland, Irish Government agency, which manages most of the Irish State's property portfolio, including hundreds of owned and ren ...

and Taxation. In 2002, Fianna Fáil were re-elected and Ahern was appointed as

Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment The Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment is a junior ministerial post in the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment of the Government of Ireland and assists the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and E ...

with responsibility for Trade and Commerce. After the 2007 general election he was appointed as Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment with responsibility for Innovation Policy. On 13 May 2008, after

Brian Cowen Brian Bernard Cowen (born 10 January 1960) is an Irish former politician who served as Taoiseach and Leader of Fianna Fáil from 2008 to 2011. Cowen served as a TD for the constituency of Laois–Offaly from 1984 to 2011 and served in several ...

became

Taoiseach The Taoiseach (, ) is the head of government or prime minister of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. The office is appointed by the President of Ireland upon nomination by Dáil Éireann (the lower house of the Oireachtas, Ireland's national legisl ...

, Ahern lost his position as Minister of State and was not appointed to any other junior ministry. He lost his seat at the 2011 general election. He was an unsuccessful candidate for

at the 2014 local elections.

References

Bibliography

*Nealon's Guide to the 30th Dáil and 23rd Seanad, Ed. Stephen Collins, Dublin, 2007 {{DEFAULTSORT:Ahern, Michael 1949 births Living people Alumni of University College Dublin Fianna Fáil TDs Members of the 23rd Dáil Members of the 24th Dáil Members of the 25th Dáil Members of the 26th Dáil Members of the 27th Dáil Members of the 28th Dáil Members of the 29th Dáil Members of the 30th Dáil Ministers of State of the 26th Dáil Ministers of State of the 29th Dáil Ministers of State of the 30th Dáil People educated at Rockwell College Politicians from County Cork

Early life

Personal life

Political career

See also

References

Bibliography