Gerard Craughwell

Senator
Gerard Craughwell
Senator
Assumed office
April 2016
Constituency Labour Panel
In office
October 2014 – April 2016
Constituency Cultural and Educational Panel
Personal details
Born (1953-11-22) 22 November 1953
Galway, Ireland
Nationality Irish
Political party Independent
Spouse(s) Helen[1]
Children 2[1]
Alma mater Limerick Senior College[1]
Profession Teacher
Website www.gerardcraughwell.ie

Gerard Craughwell (born 1953[2]) is an Irish independent politician.[3] He was elected to Seanad Éireann on the Cultural and Educational Panel in a by-election in October 2014.[3]

Early and personal life

Craughwell was born in Galway and grew up in Salthill.[1] Aged 16 he emigrated to London, working in a pub before joining the Royal Irish Rangers.[1][4] After five years he returned to Ireland and joined the Irish Army, serving in the first infantry battalion and fifth medical company at Renmore Barracks in Galway and rising to the rank of sergeant.[1][4] He left the army in 1980 and took over his father's gas appliance maintenance business until it failed in 1983.[1] Aged 35 he entered further education as a student in Limerick Senior College, gaining a degree in economics accredited by the London School of Economics.[2] and then teaching in Dún Laoghaire Senior College.[1] He joined the national executive of the Teachers' Union of Ireland in 2009,[4] and was president between 2012 and June 2014.[1][4]

He is married with two children.[1] He was previously a member of Fine Gael but ruled out re-joining the party.[4]

Seanad

A vacancy in the Seanad arose when Deirdre Clune was elected in the 2014 European Parliament elections. Craughwell put himself forward in August 2014 as an independent candidate, initially a symbolic gesture to protest against the usual practice of the government using its parliamentary majority to secure the election of its chosen candidate.[5] Craughwell secured nomination from members of the technical group and Fianna Fáil.[6] He unexpectedly won the election when the Fine Gael candidate, John McNulty, withdrew from the race after controversy over the perceived impropriety of his appointment to the board of the Irish Museum of Modern Art the month before the election.[7][8]

Craughwell tried twice to join the independent Seanad group, but it refused to admit him.[9] He suggested the group, mainly Taoiseach's nominees, was compromising its independence and supporting the government.[9] He later joined the Independent Alliance.[10] He did not endorse Alliance members' criticism of the government's January 2016 appointment of David Begg as chair of the Pensions Authority.[11]

Craughwell ran in the Seanad election in April 2016 and was elected on the Labour Panel.[12]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Minihan, Mary (11 October 2014). "Gerard Craughwell served in Royal Irish Rangers second battalion for five years". The Irish Times. Retrieved 25 February 2016.
  2. 1 2 "Profile". gerardcraughwell.ie. Retrieved 25 February 2016.
  3. 1 2 "Gerard Craughwell wins Seanad by-election". RTÉ News. 10 October 2014. Retrieved 10 October 2014.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 "Gerard Craughwell: I'm ecstatic and deeply grateful to be elected to Senate". Irish Independent. 10 October 2014.
  5. ↑ "This man wants to stop the 'silly charade' and run for the Seanad". TheJournal.ie. 8 August 2014. Retrieved 24 February 2016.
  6. ↑ Sheahan, Fionnan; Griffin, Sam (6 October 2014). "Seanad poll in balance as Varadkar says he won't vote for McNulty". Irish Independent. Retrieved 24 February 2016.
  7. ↑ O'Connell, Hugh (30 September 2014). "GONE: John McNulty has withdrawn from the Seanad by-election". TheJournal.ie. Retrieved 24 February 2016.
  8. ↑ "Craughwell wins Seanad by-election". RTÉ.ie. 10 October 2014. Retrieved 24 February 2016.
  9. 1 2 Ryan, Órla (3 June 2015). "Our newest Senator is 'dismayed' at being denied entry to independent group". TheJournal.ie. Retrieved 24 February 2016.
  10. ↑ Kelly, Fiach (28 March 2015). "Independents alliance 'keeping options open' ahead of election". The Irish Times.
  11. ↑ O'Brien, Stephen (24 January 2016). "Alliance divided on Begg appointment". The Sunday Times. Retrieved 25 February 2016.
  12. ↑ Gartland, Fiona. "At least 22 Independent Alliance candidates to run in general election". The Irish Times. Retrieved 25 February 2016.
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