Joe Behan
Encyclopedia
Joe Behan is a former Irish
independent
politician. He served as a Teachta Dála
(TD) for the Wicklow constituency
from 2007 to 2011. He was elected as a Fianna Fáil
TD at the 2007 general election.
A teacher from Bray
, Behan was a long-serving member of Bray Town Council and Wicklow County Council
, winning and holding his seat in the 1999
and 2004 local elections. He was Cathaoirleach (chairman) of Wicklow County Council from 2006 to 2007, but in accordance with the abolition of the dual mandate
under the Local Government Act 2001
he was deemed to have resigned his council seats when elected to the Dáil in 2007.
Behan unsuccessfully sought the Fianna Fáil nomination to contest the 1997 general election
in the Wicklow constituency. He did not win a nomination until December 2006, when he was one of three candidates selected by the party for the 2007 general election.
On 17 October 2008 he resigned from the Fianna Fáil party in protest at the 2009 Budget. Despite claiming in his letter of resignation that:
"I intend to adopt an independent stance on each and every issue which comes before the Dáil from now on.", he refused to join a Technical Group
and largely continued to side with the government.
He stood for re-election in Wicklow at the 2011 general election, but lost his seat.
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,...
independent
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
politician. He served as 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 Wicklow constituency
Wicklow (Dáil Éireann constituency)
Wicklow is a parliamentary constituency represented in Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament or Oireachtas. The constituency elects 5 deputies...
from 2007 to 2011. He was elected as a 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...
TD at the 2007 general election.
A teacher from Bray
Bray
Bray is a town in north County Wicklow, Ireland. It is a busy urban centre and seaside resort, with a population of 31,901 making it the fourth largest in Ireland as of the 2006 census...
, Behan was a long-serving member of Bray Town Council and Wicklow County Council
Wicklow County Council
Wicklow County Council is the local authority which is responsible for County Wicklow in Ireland. The Council is responsible for Housing and Community, Roads and Transportation, Urban planning and Development, Amenity and Culture, and Environment. The head of the council has the title of...
, winning and holding his seat in the 1999
Irish local elections, 1999
The 1999 Irish local elections were held in all the counties, cities and towns of Ireland on 10 June 1999, on the same day as the European elections.- Results :18 Workers' Party councillors had left the party in 1992 upon the creation of Democratic Left...
and 2004 local elections. He was Cathaoirleach (chairman) of Wicklow County Council from 2006 to 2007, but in accordance with the abolition of the dual mandate
Dual mandate
A dual mandate is the practice in which elected officials served in more than one elected or other public position simultaneously. This practice is known as double jobbing in Britain and distinguished from double dipping in the United States For example, suppose a...
under the Local Government Act 2001
Local Government Act 2001
The Local Government Act, 2001 was enacted by the Oireachtas of the Republic of Ireland on 21 July 2001. Most of the provisions of the Act came into operation on 1 January 2002....
he was deemed to have resigned his council seats when elected to the Dáil in 2007.
Behan unsuccessfully sought the Fianna Fáil nomination to contest 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 the Wicklow constituency. He did not win a nomination until December 2006, when he was one of three candidates selected by the party for the 2007 general election.
On 17 October 2008 he resigned from the Fianna Fáil party in protest at the 2009 Budget. Despite claiming in his letter of resignation that:
"I intend to adopt an independent stance on each and every issue which comes before the Dáil from now on.", he refused to join a Technical Group
Technical Group
In Irish politics, a technical group is a parliamentary group of Teachtaí Dála who associate to increase their speaking rights in Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas.-Origin and policy:...
and largely continued to side with the government.
He stood for re-election in Wicklow at the 2011 general election, but lost his seat.