Conor Lenihan
Encyclopedia
Conor Lenihan is a former Irish
Fianna Fáil
politician. He was a Teachta Dála
(TD) for the Dublin South West
constituency from 1997 to 2011, and served as a Minister of State
from 2004 to 2011. He then moved to Moscow
.
, University College Dublin
(where he was chair of the Kevin Barry Cumann), Dublin City University
and the INSEAD
. Before his political career, Lenihan worked as an executive with Esat Digifone (now O2). He also worked as a journalist with the Dublin radio station 98FM. While working in London he covered the House of Commons. Lenihan has also lectured on European issues as a member of the European Commission's Speakers panel.
Lenihan was first elected to Dáil Éireann
at the 1997 general election
. In Bertie Ahern
's cabinet reshuffle of 2004, he was appointed as Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs with special responsibility for Overseas Development and Human Rights. Lenihan restructured Ireland's international aid programme, creating Irish Aid, the Irish Government's programme of assistance to developing countries. Through Irish Aid, Lenihan administered a budget of almost a billion euros which is used to help developing nations thus continuing Ireland's tradition of reaching out to other post-colonial nations.
He served as Minister of State with special responsibility for Integration Policy from June 2007 to April 2009. In April 2009, he was appointed as the Minister of State
with special responsibility for Science, Technology, Innovation and Natural Resources.
Lenihan is also the editor of The Nation, the official publication of the Fianna Fáil party.
Lenihan is the son of former Fianna Fáil
Tánaiste
Brian Lenihan, Snr. His grandfather, Patrick Lenihan
, also served in the Irish parliament. His aunt, Mary O'Rourke
, is a former Fianna Fáil TD and Senator, while his brother, Brian Lenihan, Jnr
was a TD and the Minister for Finance
from 2008–11.
Lenihan was diagnosed with a benign tumour in 2007.
He lost his seat at the 2011 general election, with his first preference vote declining from 20.5% in 2007 to just 5%. He placed eight in the poll and was eliminated on the fourth count. Lenihan now lives in Moscow.
of the Socialist Party
that he should "stick to the kebabs", a reference to the Turkish
workers aided by Higgins who were being exploited by their employer, GAMA. Lenihan apologised in the Dáil for the remarks.
In 2007 he banned Gardaí
and Garda reserves
from wearing the Sikh turban, saying "if we are to take integration seriously, people who come here must understand our way of doing things. When the President and Ministers travel to the Middle East
, they accept cultural requirements of the country and the culture in which they are operating. It is a vice-versa situation with regard to Ireland".
book by John J. May. PZ Myers
, on his Pharyngula
blog, expressed shock that a Minister of State
with special responsibility for Science would lend support to such a book. Lenihan claimed that he was "not launching the book as Minister for Science but rather as a TD
because Mr May is a constituent of his. In the wake of this controversy, May asked Lenihan not to launch the book “because I am so embarrassed that the Minister for Science has been so insulted” and “eviscerated” on a political website.
on television, presenter Vincent Browne
asked if there was “a happy coincidence” between matters of national importance and what Lenihan was personally interested in, leading to what The Irish Times
described as “some on-air rage”. Lenihan expressed his anger with Browne, “It's easy for you to be cynical about people who go into public life and I really do resent the sneering insinuation that you're trying to put to me”. Browne responded, “Conor, you're not going to shout me down and you can take me full-on on this if you like”, which is exactly what happened.
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party , more commonly known as Fianna Fáil is a centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland, founded on 23 March 1926. Fianna Fáil's name is traditionally translated into English as Soldiers of Destiny, although a more accurate rendition would be Warriors of Fál...
politician. He was a Teachta Dála
Teachta Dála
A Teachta Dála , usually abbreviated as TD in English, is a member of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas . It is the equivalent of terms such as "Member of Parliament" or "deputy" used in other states. The official translation of the term is "Deputy to the Dáil", though a more literal...
(TD) for the Dublin South West
Dublin South West (Dáil Éireann constituency)
Dublin South–West is a parliamentary constituency represented in Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament or Oireachtas. The constituency elects 4 deputies...
constituency from 1997 to 2011, and served as a Minister of State
Minister of State (Ireland)
A Minister of State in Ireland is of non-Cabinet rank, attached to one or more Departments of State of the Government of Ireland....
from 2004 to 2011. He then moved to Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
.
Biography
Lenihan was born in Dublin. He lived in Athlone until he was 11 years of age. He was educated at Belvedere CollegeBelvedere College
Belvedere College SJ is a private secondary school for boys located on Great Denmark Street, Dublin, Ireland. It is also known as St. Francis Xavier's College....
, University College Dublin
University College Dublin
University College Dublin ) - formally known as University College Dublin - National University of Ireland, Dublin is the Republic of Ireland's largest, and Ireland's second largest, university, with over 1,300 faculty and 17,000 students...
(where he was chair of the Kevin Barry Cumann), Dublin City University
Dublin City University
Dublin City University is a university situated between Glasnevin, Santry, Ballymun and Whitehall on the Northside of Dublin in Ireland...
and the INSEAD
INSEAD
INSEAD is an international graduate business school and research institution. It has campuses in Europe , Asia , and the Middle East , as well as a research center in Israel...
. Before his political career, Lenihan worked as an executive with Esat Digifone (now O2). He also worked as a journalist with the Dublin radio station 98FM. While working in London he covered the House of Commons. Lenihan has also lectured on European issues as a member of the European Commission's Speakers panel.
Lenihan was first elected to Dáil Éireann
Dáil Éireann
Dáil Éireann is the lower house, but principal chamber, of the Oireachtas , which also includes the President of Ireland and Seanad Éireann . It is directly elected at least once in every five years under the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote...
at the 1997 general election
Irish general election, 1997
The Irish general election of 1997 was held on Friday, 6 June 1997. The 166 newly elected members of the 28th Dáil assembled on 26 June 1997 when a new Taoiseach and government were appointed....
. In Bertie Ahern
Bertie Ahern
Patrick Bartholomew "Bertie" Ahern is a former Irish politician who served as Taoiseach of Ireland from 26 June 1997 to 7 May 2008....
's cabinet reshuffle of 2004, he was appointed as Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs with special responsibility for Overseas Development and Human Rights. Lenihan restructured Ireland's international aid programme, creating Irish Aid, the Irish Government's programme of assistance to developing countries. Through Irish Aid, Lenihan administered a budget of almost a billion euros which is used to help developing nations thus continuing Ireland's tradition of reaching out to other post-colonial nations.
He served as Minister of State with special responsibility for Integration Policy from June 2007 to April 2009. In April 2009, he was appointed as the Minister of State
Minister of State (Ireland)
A Minister of State in Ireland is of non-Cabinet rank, attached to one or more Departments of State of the Government of Ireland....
with special responsibility for Science, Technology, Innovation and Natural Resources.
Lenihan is also the editor of The Nation, the official publication of the Fianna Fáil party.
Lenihan is the son of former Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party , more commonly known as Fianna Fáil is a centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland, founded on 23 March 1926. Fianna Fáil's name is traditionally translated into English as Soldiers of Destiny, although a more accurate rendition would be Warriors of Fál...
Tánaiste
Tánaiste
The Tánaiste is the deputy prime minister of Ireland. The current Tánaiste is Eamon Gilmore, TD who was appointed on 9 March 2011.- Origins and etymology :...
Brian Lenihan, Snr. His grandfather, Patrick Lenihan
Patrick Lenihan
Patrick Lenihan was a Fianna Fáil Teachta Dála in the Ireland in the early 1960s. He held the distinction of being the only parent to be elected to an Irish parliament where his son was already a member....
, also served in the Irish parliament. His aunt, Mary O'Rourke
Mary O'Rourke
Mary O'Rourke is a former Irish Fianna Fáil politician. She is a former Teachta Dála for the Longford–Westmeath and Westmeath constituencies. She served as Minister for Education , Minister for Health and Minister for Public Enterprise...
, is a former Fianna Fáil TD and Senator, while his brother, Brian Lenihan, Jnr
Brian Lenihan, Jnr
Brian Joseph Lenihan was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician and barrister who served in the government of Ireland as Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform from 2007 to 2008 and as Minister for Finance from 2008 to 2011...
was a TD and the Minister for Finance
Minister for Finance (Ireland)
The Minister for Finance is the title held by the Irish government minister responsible for all financial and monetary matters. The office-holder controls the Department of Finance and is considered one of the most important members of the Government of Ireland.The current Minister for Finance is...
from 2008–11.
Lenihan was diagnosed with a benign tumour in 2007.
He lost his seat at the 2011 general election, with his first preference vote declining from 20.5% in 2007 to just 5%. He placed eight in the poll and was eliminated on the fourth count. Lenihan now lives in Moscow.
Attitude to immigrants
Lenihan was involved in some controversy on 18 May 2005, when off-microphone he told opposition TD Joe HigginsJoe Higgins
Joe Higgins is an Irish Socialist Party politician. In the 2011 general election he was elected to Dáil Éireann as Teachta Dála for the Dublin West constituency, having previously served in that capacity from 1997–2007...
of the Socialist Party
Socialist Party (Ireland)
The Socialist Party is a socialist political party active in Ireland. It is a member of the Committee for a Workers' International .Formerly known as Militant Tendency, then Militant Labour, it adopted the name The Socialist Party in 1996. From their foundation in 1972 until the 1980s, members of...
that he should "stick to the kebabs", a reference to the Turkish
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
workers aided by Higgins who were being exploited by their employer, GAMA. Lenihan apologised in the Dáil for the remarks.
In 2007 he banned Gardaí
Garda Síochána
, more commonly referred to as the Gardaí , is the police force of Ireland. The service is headed by the Commissioner who is appointed by the Irish Government. Its headquarters are located in the Phoenix Park in Dublin.- Terminology :...
and Garda reserves
Garda Síochána Reserve
The Garda Síochána Reserve is the volunteer reserve section of the Garda Siochana - the police force of Ireland. It was created in 2006 and the first 36 Reserves graduated on 15 December 2006 at the Garda College, in Templemore.- Establishment :...
from wearing the Sikh turban, saying "if we are to take integration seriously, people who come here must understand our way of doing things. When the President and Ministers travel to the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
, they accept cultural requirements of the country and the culture in which they are operating. It is a vice-versa situation with regard to Ireland".
The Origin of Specious Nonsense
In September 2010, Lenihan attracted controversy when it emerged that he was to attend the launch of The Origin of Specious Nonsense, an anti-evolutionObjections to evolution
Objections to evolution have been raised since evolutionary ideas came to prominence in the 19th century. When Charles Darwin published his 1859 book On the Origin of Species, his theory of evolution by natural selection initially met opposition from scientists with different theories, but came to...
book by John J. May. PZ Myers
PZ Myers
Paul Zachary "PZ" Myers is an American biology professor at the University of Minnesota Morris and the author of the Pharyngula science blog. He is currently an associate professor of biology at UMM, works with zebrafish in the field of evolutionary developmental biology , and also cultivates an...
, on his Pharyngula
Pharyngula (blog)
Pharyngula is a blog on FreeThoughtBlogs and ScienceBlogs run by PZ Myers. In 2006, the science journal Nature listed it as the top-ranked blog written by a scientist. Pharyngula also won the 2005 Koufax Award for Best Expert Blog. The blog topics are eclectic, delving into the non-scientific as...
blog, expressed shock that a Minister of State
Minister of State (Ireland)
A Minister of State in Ireland is of non-Cabinet rank, attached to one or more Departments of State of the Government of Ireland....
with special responsibility for Science would lend support to such a book. Lenihan claimed that he was "not launching the book as Minister for Science but rather as a TD
Teachta Dála
A Teachta Dála , usually abbreviated as TD in English, is a member of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas . It is the equivalent of terms such as "Member of Parliament" or "deputy" used in other states. The official translation of the term is "Deputy to the Dáil", though a more literal...
because Mr May is a constituent of his. In the wake of this controversy, May asked Lenihan not to launch the book “because I am so embarrassed that the Minister for Science has been so insulted” and “eviscerated” on a political website.
Tonight with Vincent Browne
While appearing on Tonight with Vincent BrowneTonight with Vincent Browne
Tonight with Vincent Browne, formerly Nightly News with Vincent Browne, is an Irish news analysis, current affairs and politics programme. It is broadcast on TV3 on Monday to Thursday nights 23:05 to 23:55. It is presented by the journalist Vincent Browne, noted for his rather acerbic style of...
on television, presenter Vincent Browne
Vincent Browne
Vincent Browne is an Irish print and broadcast journalist. He is a columnist with The Irish Times and The Sunday Business Post and a part time barrister....
asked if there was “a happy coincidence” between matters of national importance and what Lenihan was personally interested in, leading to what The Irish Times
The Irish Times
The Irish Times is an Irish daily broadsheet newspaper launched on 29 March 1859. The editor is Kevin O'Sullivan who succeeded Geraldine Kennedy in 2011; the deputy editor is Paul O'Neill. The Irish Times is considered to be Ireland's newspaper of record, and is published every day except Sundays...
described as “some on-air rage”. Lenihan expressed his anger with Browne, “It's easy for you to be cynical about people who go into public life and I really do resent the sneering insinuation that you're trying to put to me”. Browne responded, “Conor, you're not going to shout me down and you can take me full-on on this if you like”, which is exactly what happened.