John O'Connell
Encyclopedia
John F. O'Connell is a former Irish
politician, who was first elected as a Labour Party
Teachta Dála
(TD) in 1965 and was returned at each election until 1987, latterly for Fianna Fáil
after a time as an independent
. He served in Seanad Éireann
from 1987 to 1989 and then returned to the Dáil until he resigned in 1993. He also served as Ceann Comhairle
of Dáil Éireann
from 1981 to 1982, as Minister for Health
(1992–1993) and as a Member of the European Parliament
(MEP) from 1979 to 1981.
and the Royal College of Surgeons
, Dublin. In 1967 O'Connell founded the Irish Medical Times, a weekly broadsheet for doctors.
as a Labour Party TD for Dublin South West
at the 1965 general election
. He held a seat for the Party until the 1981 general election
when he was expelled for refusing to stand in the Dublin West constituency. Instead he stood as an Independent in Dublin South Central
, opposing the Labour leader, Frank Cluskey
. O'Connell, always a large vote-getter, easily topped the poll and Cluskey lost his Dáil seat.
O'Connell was then elected as Ceann Comhairle
of Dáil Éireann
, and resigned from the European Parliament
, to which he had been elected as an MEP for the Dublin constituency
in the first direct elections in 1979
. He remained as Ceann Comhairle until December 1982, being returned automatically in the two elections of 1982. In 1983 he became a member of Fianna Fáil
, representing the Party until he lost his Dáil seat at the 1987 election
. That year he was one of those nominated by the Taoiseach
Charles Haughey
to the 18th Seanad Éireann, serving until he regained his Dáil seat at the 1989 election
.
O'Connell supported Albert Reynolds
after he resigned from the Cabinet and is seen as one who persuaded Haughey to resign when he did. O'Connell was appointed Minister for Health by Reynolds in 1992 and was the Minister responsible for loosening the Catholic Church's stranglehold on family planning and contraception law in Ireland. Condom vending machines, previously banned, were legalised by O'Connell in a concerted effort to change the focus from morality to practicality. O'Connell remained as Minister for Health until 1993 when he resigned from the Dáil and the Cabinet due to ill health.
Further controversy surrounded O'Connell's relationship with Charles Haughey in later years during the Moriarty Tribunal when it was revealed that O'Connell was the conduit of moneys between Arab tycoon Mahmoud Fustok and Haughey, and it was further revealed that O'Connell had invested a significant sum in Celtic Helicopters, the business venture of Haughey's son Ciaran.
In the 1970s he arranged a meeting in his home between Harold Wilson
MP
, then leader of the British Labour Party, and Dáithí Ó Conaill
(no relation), member of the Provisional IRA army council. Negotiations that night to broker a ceasefire were successful in the short term but ultimately broke down.
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,...
politician, who was first elected as a Labour Party
Labour Party (Ireland)
The Labour Party is a social-democratic political party in the Republic of Ireland. The Labour Party was founded in 1912 in Clonmel, County Tipperary, by James Connolly, James Larkin and William X. O'Brien as the political wing of the Irish Trade Union Congress. Unlike the other main Irish...
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) in 1965 and was returned at each election until 1987, latterly for 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...
after a time as an 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...
. He served in Seanad Éireann
Seanad Éireann
Seanad Éireann is the upper house of the Oireachtas , which also comprises the President of Ireland and Dáil Éireann . It is commonly called the Seanad or Senate and its members Senators or Seanadóirí . Unlike Dáil Éireann, it is not directly elected but consists of a mixture of members chosen by...
from 1987 to 1989 and then returned to the Dáil until he resigned in 1993. He also served as Ceann Comhairle
Ceann Comhairle
The Ceann Comhairle is the chairman of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas of Ireland. The person who holds the position is elected by members of the Dáil from among their number in the first session after each general election...
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...
from 1981 to 1982, as Minister for Health
Minister for Health and Children (Ireland)
The Minister for Health is the senior minister at the Department of Health in the Government of Ireland and is responsible for health care in the Republic of Ireland and related services.The current Minister for Health is James Reilly, TD...
(1992–1993) and as a Member of the European Parliament
Member of the European Parliament
A Member of the European Parliament is a person who has been elected to the European Parliament. The name of MEPs differ in different languages, with terms such as europarliamentarian or eurodeputy being common in Romance language-speaking areas.When the European Parliament was first established,...
(MEP) from 1979 to 1981.
Early life
O'Connell was born in Dublin and educated at St Vincents in GlasnevinGlasnevin
Glasnevin is a largely residential neighbourhood of Dublin, Ireland.-Geography:A mainly residential neighbourhood, it is located on the Northside of the city of Dublin . It was originally established on the northern bank of the River Tolka...
and the Royal College of Surgeons
Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland
The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland , is a Dublin-based medical institution, situated on St. Stephen's Green. The college is one of the five Recognised Colleges of the National University of Ireland...
, Dublin. In 1967 O'Connell founded the Irish Medical Times, a weekly broadsheet for doctors.
Political career
He began his political career when he was elected to Dáil ÉireannDáil 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...
as a Labour Party TD for 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...
at the 1965 general election
Irish general election, 1965
The Irish general election of 1965 was held on 7 April 1965. The newly elected members of the 18th Dáil assembled at Leinster House on 21 April when the new Taoiseach and government were appointed....
. He held a seat for the Party until 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....
when he was expelled for refusing to stand in the Dublin West constituency. Instead he stood as an Independent in Dublin South Central
Dublin South Central (Dáil Éireann constituency)
Dublin South–Central is a parliamentary constituency represented in Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament or Oireachtas. The constituency elects 5 deputies...
, opposing the Labour leader, Frank Cluskey
Frank Cluskey
Frank Cluskey was an Irish politician and a former leader of the Irish Labour Party.Frank Cluskey was born on 1 April 1930 in Dublin. He worked as a butcher and then joined the Labour Party. He quickly became a branch secretary in the Workers' Union of Ireland. In the 1965 general election he was...
. O'Connell, always a large vote-getter, easily topped the poll and Cluskey lost his Dáil seat.
O'Connell was then elected as Ceann Comhairle
Ceann Comhairle
The Ceann Comhairle is the chairman of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas of Ireland. The person who holds the position is elected by members of the Dáil from among their number in the first session after each general election...
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...
, and resigned from the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
, to which he had been elected as an MEP for the Dublin constituency
Dublin (European Parliament constituency)
Dublin is a constituency of the European Parliament in Ireland. It elects 3 Members of the European Parliament using the single transferable vote form of proportional representation .-History and boundaries:...
in the first direct elections in 1979
European Parliament election, 1979 (Ireland)
The 1979 European Parliament election in Ireland was the Irish component of the 1979 European Parliament election. These were the first direct elections to the European Parliament...
. He remained as Ceann Comhairle until December 1982, being returned automatically in the two elections of 1982. In 1983 he became a member of 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...
, representing the Party until he lost his Dáil seat at the 1987 election
Irish general election, 1987
The Irish general election of 1987 was held on 17 February 1987, four weeks after the dissolution of the Dáil on 20 January. The newly-elected 166 members of the 25th Dáil assembled at Leinster House on 10 March when a new Taoiseach and government were appointed.The general election took place in...
. That year he was one of those nominated by the Taoiseach
Nominated by the Taoiseach
The composition of Seanad Éireann, the upper house of the Oireachtas of Ireland, is defined in outline by Article 18 of the Constitution of Ireland, which provides for 11 appointees that are nominated by the Taoiseach...
Charles Haughey
Charles Haughey
Charles James "Charlie" Haughey was Taoiseach of Ireland, serving three terms in office . He was also the fourth leader of Fianna Fáil...
to the 18th Seanad Éireann, serving until he regained his Dáil seat at the 1989 election
Irish general election, 1989
The Irish general election of 1989 was held on Thursday, 15 June 1989, three weeks after the dissolution of the Dáil on 25 May. The newly elected 166 members of the 26th Dáil assembled at Leinster House on 29 June...
.
O'Connell supported Albert Reynolds
Albert Reynolds
Albert Reynolds , served as Taoiseach of Ireland, serving one term in office from 1992 until 1994. He has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize...
after he resigned from the Cabinet and is seen as one who persuaded Haughey to resign when he did. O'Connell was appointed Minister for Health by Reynolds in 1992 and was the Minister responsible for loosening the Catholic Church's stranglehold on family planning and contraception law in Ireland. Condom vending machines, previously banned, were legalised by O'Connell in a concerted effort to change the focus from morality to practicality. O'Connell remained as Minister for Health until 1993 when he resigned from the Dáil and the Cabinet due to ill health.
Further controversy surrounded O'Connell's relationship with Charles Haughey in later years during the Moriarty Tribunal when it was revealed that O'Connell was the conduit of moneys between Arab tycoon Mahmoud Fustok and Haughey, and it was further revealed that O'Connell had invested a significant sum in Celtic Helicopters, the business venture of Haughey's son Ciaran.
In the 1970s he arranged a meeting in his home between Harold Wilson
Harold Wilson
James Harold Wilson, Baron Wilson of Rievaulx, KG, OBE, FRS, FSS, PC was a British Labour Member of Parliament, Leader of the Labour Party. He was twice Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during the 1960s and 1970s, winning four general elections, including a minority government after the...
MP
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
, then leader of the British Labour Party, and Dáithí Ó Conaill
Dáithí Ó Conaill
Dáithí Ó Conaill was an Irish republican, a member of the IRA Army Council, vice-president of Sinn Féin and Republican Sinn Féin. He was also the first chief of staff of the Continuity IRA.-Joins IRA:...
(no relation), member of the Provisional IRA army council. Negotiations that night to broker a ceasefire were successful in the short term but ultimately broke down.