Ivan Yates
Encyclopedia
Ivan Yates is an Irish
businessman, broadcaster and former politician. He was elected as a Fine Gael
Teachta Dála
(TD) representing the Wexford constituency
at the 1981 general election
and at each election until his retirement from politics in 2002. He has also served as Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry from 1994 to 1997.
, County Wexford
. He is a member of the Church of Ireland
and was educated at St. Columba's College, Rathfarnham and Gurteen Agricultural College, County Tipperary
.
and is also the fourth youngest ever member of Dáil Éireann
after William J. Murphy
, Lorcan Allen
and Kathleen O'Connor
. He became involved in local politics when he became a member of Wexford County Council, serving until 1995 and again since 1999. He joined the Fine Gael
front bench in 1988 and was appointed Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry when the party came to power in 1994.
Yates oversaw a particularly difficult period for Irish agriculture. Farmers saw the prices they received for their produce plummet, he stopped live animal exports in response to controversy over cruelty in shipping and took on the veterinary union over the tuberculosis
eradication scheme. He also had to deal with a sharp rise in the number of BSE
cases during 1996 and the consequent banning of Irish beef by Russia
. When John Bruton
resigned as leader of Fine Gael
in January 2001, there was much speculation that Yates would be a contender for the vacant position. Instead, he announced to his colleagues that he was leaving full-time politics to concentrate on his family and business interests and that he would not be contesting the next general election.
He receives annual pension payments of €74,836 from his time in politics.
s, and expanded the company from its Wexford base to a chain of 64 shops around the country at its peak. It was announced on 4 January 2011 that the company had gone into receivership.
Yates' leadership has been very much in evidence in the bookmaking industry. He has been heading a group of bookmakers in a court case against the British Horseracing Board (BHB) over data rights. Although the issue has yet to be resolved in the Irish courts, UK bookmaker William Hill has already defeated the BHB on this issue in the Court of Appeal and the European Court of Justice. Yates is hoping that the court will also force the BHB to pay back the £15m a year that Irish bookmakers have been paying the BHB for data rights since 2002.
on TV3 during summer 2011.
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
businessman, broadcaster and former politician. He was elected as a Fine Gael
Fine Gael
Fine Gael is a centre-right to centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland. It is the single largest party in Ireland in the Oireachtas, in local government, and in terms of Members of the European Parliament. The party has a membership of over 35,000...
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) representing the Wexford constituency
Wexford (Dáil Éireann constituency)
Wexford is a parliamentary constituency represented in Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament or Oireachtas. The constituency elects 5 deputies...
at the 1981 general election
Irish general election, 1981
The Irish general election of 1981 was held on 11 June 1981, three weeks after the dissolution of the Dáil on 21 May. The newly elected 166 members of the 22nd Dáil assembled at Leinster House on 30 June when a new Taoiseach and government were appointed....
and at each election until his retirement from politics in 2002. He has also served as Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry from 1994 to 1997.
Early life
Yates was born in EnniscorthyEnniscorthy
Enniscorthy is the second largest town in County Wexford, Ireland. The population of the town and environs is 9538. The Placenames Database of Ireland sheds no light on the origins of the town's name. It may refer either to the "Island of Corthaidh" or the "Island of Rocks". With a history going...
, County Wexford
County Wexford
County Wexford is a county in Ireland. It is part of the South-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Wexford. In pre-Norman times it was part of the Kingdom of Uí Cheinnselaig, whose capital was at Ferns. Wexford County Council is the local...
. He is a member of the Church of Ireland
Church of Ireland
The Church of Ireland is an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. The church operates in all parts of Ireland and is the second largest religious body on the island after the Roman Catholic Church...
and was educated at St. Columba's College, Rathfarnham and Gurteen Agricultural College, County Tipperary
County Tipperary
County Tipperary is a county of Ireland. It is located in the province of Munster and is named after the town of Tipperary. The area of the county does not have a single local authority; local government is split between two authorities. In North Tipperary, part of the Mid-West Region, local...
.
Political career
Aged only 21 years and 8 months, when first elected in 1981, Yates was the youngest member of the 22nd DáilMembers of the 22nd Dáil
This is a list of the members who were elected to the 22nd Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas of Ireland. These TDs were elected at the 1981 general election on 11 June 1981 and met on 30 June 1981. The 22nd Dáil was dissolved by President Patrick Hillery, at the request of the...
and is also the fourth youngest ever member of 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...
after William J. Murphy
William J. Murphy (Labour politician)
William J. Murphy is a former Irish Labour Party politician.He was elected as a Labour Party Teachta Dála for the Cork West constituency at the 1949 by-election on 15 June. Aged just 21 years and 29 days at the time, he is the youngest ever TD, the next youngest being Lorcan Allen...
, Lorcan Allen
Lorcan Allen
Lorcan Allen is an Irish farmer and Fianna Fáil politician.Allen was elected to Dáil Éireann at the 1961 general election as a Fianna Fáil Teachta Dála for the Wexford constituency. Aged just 21 years and 6 months at the time, he is the second youngest ever TD, after William J. Murphy...
and Kathleen O'Connor
Kathleen O'Connor
Kathleen O'Connor is a retired Irish National School teacher from County Kerry, and a former Clann na Poblachta politician....
. He became involved in local politics when he became a member of Wexford County Council, serving until 1995 and again since 1999. He joined the Fine Gael
Fine Gael
Fine Gael is a centre-right to centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland. It is the single largest party in Ireland in the Oireachtas, in local government, and in terms of Members of the European Parliament. The party has a membership of over 35,000...
front bench in 1988 and was appointed Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry when the party came to power in 1994.
Yates oversaw a particularly difficult period for Irish agriculture. Farmers saw the prices they received for their produce plummet, he stopped live animal exports in response to controversy over cruelty in shipping and took on the veterinary union over the tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
eradication scheme. He also had to deal with a sharp rise in the number of BSE
Bovine spongiform encephalopathy
Bovine spongiform encephalopathy , commonly known as mad-cow disease, is a fatal neurodegenerative disease in cattle that causes a spongy degeneration in the brain and spinal cord. BSE has a long incubation period, about 30 months to 8 years, usually affecting adult cattle at a peak age onset of...
cases during 1996 and the consequent banning of Irish beef by Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
. When John Bruton
John Bruton
John Gerard Bruton is an Irish politician who served as Taoiseach of Ireland from 1994 to 1997. A minister under two taoisigh, Liam Cosgrave and Garret FitzGerald, Bruton held a number of the top posts in Irish government, including Minister for Finance , and Minister for Industry, Trade,...
resigned as leader of Fine Gael
Fine Gael
Fine Gael is a centre-right to centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland. It is the single largest party in Ireland in the Oireachtas, in local government, and in terms of Members of the European Parliament. The party has a membership of over 35,000...
in January 2001, there was much speculation that Yates would be a contender for the vacant position. Instead, he announced to his colleagues that he was leaving full-time politics to concentrate on his family and business interests and that he would not be contesting the next general election.
He receives annual pension payments of €74,836 from his time in politics.
Business career
Yates is the chairman and managing director of Celtic Bookmakers, an Irish chain of betting shopBookmaker
A bookmaker, or bookie, is an organization or a person that takes bets on sporting and other events at agreed upon odds.- Range of events :...
s, and expanded the company from its Wexford base to a chain of 64 shops around the country at its peak. It was announced on 4 January 2011 that the company had gone into receivership.
Yates' leadership has been very much in evidence in the bookmaking industry. He has been heading a group of bookmakers in a court case against the British Horseracing Board (BHB) over data rights. Although the issue has yet to be resolved in the Irish courts, UK bookmaker William Hill has already defeated the BHB on this issue in the Court of Appeal and the European Court of Justice. Yates is hoping that the court will also force the BHB to pay back the £15m a year that Irish bookmakers have been paying the BHB for data rights since 2002.
Media work
Ivan Yates has co-presented the Newstalk breakfast show, firstly with Claire Byrne and subsequently with Chris Donoghue, since 2009. Yates has also presented 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 TV3 during summer 2011.