Frank Fahey (Irish: Proinsias Ó Fathaigh; born 6 June 1951) is an Irish Fianna Fáil politician. He is currently a Teachta Dála (TD) for Galway West. Frank Fahey was born in June 1951 in Galway. He was educated at St. Mary's College, Our Lady's College and University College Galway. He was a school teacher before he entered politics. Fahey was first elected to Dáil Éireann in the February 1982 general election.
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Ministerial career
In 1987 he was appointed Minister for Sport (an appointment which did not carry cabinet rank). This was a particularly successful era for Irish sport: Stephen Roche won the Tour de France, and the Irish soccer team qualified for Euro 88 and Italia 90. Fahey lost his Dáil seat in the 1992 general election. He was, however, appointed to Seanad Éireann, serving in the 20th Seanad until 1997. Following Fianna Fáil's victory in the 1997 general election Fahey returned to the Dáil and was appointed a Junior Minister with special responsibility for Children. In January 2000 he was appointed to the Cabinet as Minister for the Marine & Natural Resources. One of his last acts in office was to approve the foreshore license for the controversial[1] Corrib gas project.[2] In September 2002, he was accused of interfering in the planning processing by Mayo TD Michael Ring, who said:[3][4]
| “ | Minister Fahey saw fit to interfere in the planning process by expressing his view in local media last week, that the benefits of the Corrib find could be lost to Mayo if the decision by An Bord Pleanála on the Bellanaboy terminal was to be a negative one. Does Minister Fahey, not realise that An Bord Pleanála had quasi-judicial powers in respect of planning? Does he not realise that his interference may cast aspersions on the independence and credibility of An Bord Pleanála's decision? | ” |
According to Village magazine on 19 July, 2006:[5]
| “ | As the minister also responsible for Coillte, the Irish national forestry service, he oversaw the sale to Shell Oil, for an undisclosed sum, of 400 acres of land at Bellanaboy in north County Mayo for a terminal where the unprocessed gas will be cleaned before entering the Bord Gáis network. | ” |
Following the re-election of the out-going government in the 2002 general election Fahey was not retained in the Cabinet as a full Minister. Instead he was appointed as a Junior Minister in the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform. He was re-elected in the 2007 general election but he was not appointed to any ministerial office.[6] Fahey was however appointed to head the joint committee on transport with many political commentators suggesting that a successful stint as chairman of the transport committee is likely to propel Fahey back into a senior ministerial post.
Lost at sea scheme
In 2000, Fahey as Minister for the Marine & Natural Resources launched the Lost at sea scheme which was to provide compensation to those fishing vessels, which were lost at sea.[7] It transpired that three quarters of the €2.8m compensation scheme for fishermen went to only two people, both of whom were constituents of Fahey. In 2005, the Ombudsman Emily O'Reilly, in an interim report, described the Lost at sea scheme as "seriously deficient and flawed".[5] It was further revealed by Ireland on Sunday that Fahey "had consulted with the two fishermen four months before he introduced it; that he wrote to the two fishermen telling them they were approved before the application process closed; and that the rules were changed to benefit one of them."[8]
Investments and property
The Irish Times, reported in 2006, that in 1994, when Frank Fahey was a Senator, on a modest salary of £19,486 (€24,747), he became involved in establishing a hair and beauty salon business in Moscow involving an investment of over £200,000 (€254,000).[9][10] Fahey has assembled a very extensive property portfolio. Some are registered in his own name while others are held in partnership with relatives of associates These are located in his native Galway city and county, Dublin, France, Belgium, Portugal and the United States. Fahey also owns or has shares in, shops and development land as well as six houses and 10 apartments in Ireland.[5] Fahey denied saying that he had "no involvement" in the hairdressing salon. Nor had never made a secret of being involved, he said, and 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". He claimed that "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".[11]
Committee on Procedures and Privileges, July 2006
Fahey wrote to this Committee citing the remarks of Trevor Sargent Teachta Dála in the Dáil when Sargent referred to Fahey as a dodgy builder and accused him of being able to avoid tax in building up a multi-million euro property empire and failing to declare interests in a Moscow hairdressing business. Sargent also maintained that Fahey had given 75% of the total State compensation for fisheries vessels lost at sea to two constituents (of Fahey's) and giving half of Ireland's mackerel quota to one boat, the Atlantic Dawn.[12]
Fahey failed to secure the necessary 75% committee vote to censure Sargent and his failure embarrassed and annoyed his Fianna Fáil colleagues.
Political Career
| Oireachtas | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Mark Killilea |
Fianna Fáil Teachta Dála for Galway West 1982–1992 |
Succeeded by Éamon Ó Cuív |
| Preceded by Margaret Cox |
Fianna Fáil Teachta Dála for Galway West 1997 – present |
Incumbent |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by Newly created office |
Minister of State with special responsibility for Youth and Sport 1987–1992 |
Succeeded by Liam Aylward |
| Preceded by Denis Lyons |
Minister of State with special responsibility for Tourism 1989–1992 |
Succeeded by Office abolished |
| Preceded by Austin Currie |
Minister of State (with special responsibility for Children) 1997–2000 |
Succeeded by Mary Hanafin |
| Preceded by Michael Woods |
Minister for the Marine & Natural Resources 2000–2002 |
Succeeded by Dermot Ahern |
| Preceded by Tom Kitt |
Minister of State (with special responsibility for Labour Affairs) 2002–2004 |
Succeeded by Tony Killeen |
| Preceded by Willie O'Dea |
Minister of State (with special responsibility for Equality) 2004–2007 |
Succeeded by Seán Power |
References
- ^ Bitter dispute over gas pipeline – BBC News, 3 August, 2005.
- ^ Green light for Corrib gas field – RTÉ News, 15 April, 2002.
- ^ Minister should stay out of planning process - Ring – Fine Gael website, 19 September, 2002.
- ^ No-one is fooled by Shell’s bluster – Western People article, 27 July, 2005.
- ^ a b c New storm for Fahey – Village magazine article, 19 July, 2006.
- ^ Fahey left out of junior ministers line-up – The Irish Times, 20 June, 2007.
- ^ Why Did 2 Constituents Of Minister Fahey Get 74% Of "Lost At Sea" Compensation Scheme? – Marine Times article
- ^ Sargent vindicated by new Fahey revelations – Green Party website, 9 July, 2006.
- ^ Business deals in Russia often involve Mafia – The Irish Times, 13 June, 2006.
- ^ Moscow allegation places controversy laiden Frank Fahey under the government's glare – Sunday Tribune, 19 March, 2007.
- ^ Greens make political hay while the sun shines hard on junior minister – Irish Independent newspaper article, 16 July, 2006.
- ^ Sargent to Taoiseach: Fire Frank Fahey – Irish Examiner article, 29 June, 2006.
External links
This page incorporates information from the Oireachtas Members Database
