Mairead McGuinness
Encyclopedia
Mairead McGuinness is an Irish
politician and Member of the European Parliament
(MEP) for the East constituency. She is a member of Fine Gael
, part of the European People's Party
.
's Bachelor of Science
degree in Agricultural economics
in 1980. In 1984, she completed a diploma in accounting and finance and went on to a career in a number of media outlets before entering politics in 2004. She worked as a researcher on The Late Late Show
, as a presenter on RTÉ
's Ear to the Ground
and Celebrity Farm
, a journalist with the Irish Farmers Journal
and editor of the Irish Independent
s farming supplement.
for Fine Gael. This followed speculation linking her to a similar move for the Progressive Democrats
. At the selection convention in February 2004, she was selected to run alongside Avril Doyle
. This proved controversial, as it was widely expected that Fine Gael could win only one of the three seats in the East constituency. However, a stronger than expected performance from Fine Gael in the election saw both women being elected
.
McGuinness has been appointed to serve on several European Parliament committees, including the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development
and the delegation for relations with Australia and New Zealand. McGuinness is a substitute member of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety
, the Committee on Petitions
and the delegation for relations with the People's Republic of China
.
She was a Fine Gael candidate for the Louth constituency
at the 2007 general election but was not elected. She was re-elected on the first count at the 2009 European election
, topping the poll with 25.7% of the first preference votes.
In April 2011, she announced that she wished to run for President of Ireland
and would seek the Fine Gael party nomination for the 2011 presidential election. In July 2011, she was defeated for the nomination by Gay Mitchell
.
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...
politician and 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) for the East constituency. She is a member 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...
, part of the European People's Party
European People's Party
The European People's Party is a pro-European centre-right European political party. The EPP was founded in 1976 by Christian democratic parties, but later it increased its membership to include conservative parties and parties of other centre-right perspectives.The EPP is the most influential of...
.
Education and media career
McGuinness was the first female graduate of University College DublinUniversity 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...
's Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
degree in Agricultural economics
Agricultural economics
Agricultural economics originally applied the principles of economics to the production of crops and livestock — a discipline known as agronomics. Agronomics was a branch of economics that specifically dealt with land usage. It focused on maximizing the crop yield while maintaining a good soil...
in 1980. In 1984, she completed a diploma in accounting and finance and went on to a career in a number of media outlets before entering politics in 2004. She worked as a researcher on The Late Late Show
The Late Late Show
The Late Late Show, sometimes referred to as The Late Late, or in some cases by the acronym LLS, is the world's longest-running chat show by the same broadcaster and the official flagship television programme of Irish broadcasting company RTÉ...
, as a presenter on RTÉ
Raidió Teilifís Éireann
Raidió Teilifís Éireann is a semi-state company and the public service broadcaster of Ireland. It both produces programmes and broadcasts them on television, radio and the Internet. The radio service began on January 1, 1926, while regular television broadcasts began on December 31, 1961, making...
's Ear to the Ground
Ear to the Ground
Ear to the Ground is a weekly television programme broadcast in Ireland on RTÉ One on Thursday evenings at 19:00. The show consists of reports about various countryside, rural environmental issues. It is currently in its sixteenth season and is produced by Independent Pictures. Ear to the Ground is...
and Celebrity Farm
Celebrity Farm
Celebrity Farm was a 2003 Radio Telefís Éireann reality television show, based on the international TV format The Farm, produced by Strix. Held along similar lines as I'm a Celebrity.....
, a journalist with the Irish Farmers Journal
Irish Farmers Journal
The Irish Farmers Journal is a weekly farm newspaper sold in Ireland. It is the best selling farm magazine in the country selling over 70,000 copies per week...
and editor of the Irish Independent
Irish Independent
The Irish Independent is Ireland's largest-selling daily newspaper that is published in both compact and broadsheet formats. It is the flagship publication of Independent News & Media.-History:...
s farming supplement.
Political career
In early 2004, she declared her intention to seek a nomination for the European Parliament electionEuropean Parliament election, 2004 (Ireland)
The 2004 European Parliament election in Ireland was the Irish component of the 2004 European Parliament election. The voting was held on Friday, 11 June 2004. The election coincided with the 2004 local elections...
for Fine Gael. This followed speculation linking her to a similar move for the Progressive Democrats
Progressive Democrats
The Progressive Democrats , commonly known as the PDs, was a pro-free market liberal political party in the Republic of Ireland.Launched on 21 December 1985 by Desmond O'Malley and other politicians who had split from Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, the Progressive Democrats took liberal positions on...
. At the selection convention in February 2004, she was selected to run alongside Avril Doyle
Avril Doyle
Avril Doyle is a former Irish politician. She was a member of Fine Gael, part of the European People's Party.Avril Belton was born in Dublin and was educated at University College Dublin. Her father Richard Belton was a Senator and her grandfather Patrick Belton was a Teachta Dála...
. This proved controversial, as it was widely expected that Fine Gael could win only one of the three seats in the East constituency. However, a stronger than expected performance from Fine Gael in the election saw both women being elected
European Parliament election, 2004 (Ireland)
The 2004 European Parliament election in Ireland was the Irish component of the 2004 European Parliament election. The voting was held on Friday, 11 June 2004. The election coincided with the 2004 local elections...
.
McGuinness has been appointed to serve on several European Parliament committees, including the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development
Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development
The Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development is a committee of the European Parliament.-Responsibilities of the Committee:AGRI is the European Parliament committee responsible for:...
and the delegation for relations with Australia and New Zealand. McGuinness is a substitute member of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety
Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety
The Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety is a committee of the European Parliament. It has 68 members and a secretariat of 10 administrators. Its chairman is...
, the Committee on Petitions
Committee on Petitions
The Committee on Petitions is a committee of the European Parliament.Petitions can also be brought forward by any EU citizen on a matter within the EU's sphere of activities. The Committee hears cases, some 1500 each year, sometimes presented by the citizen themselves at the Parliament...
and the delegation for relations with the People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
.
She was a Fine Gael candidate for the Louth constituency
Louth (Dáil Éireann constituency)
Louth is a parliamentary constituency represented in Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament or Oireachtas. The constituency elects 5 deputies...
at the 2007 general election but was not elected. She was re-elected on the first count at the 2009 European election
European Parliament election, 2009 (Ireland)
The 2009 European Parliament election in Ireland was the Irish component of the 2009 European Parliament election and was held on Friday, 5 June 2009, coinciding with the 2009 local elections...
, topping the poll with 25.7% of the first preference votes.
In April 2011, she announced that she wished to run for President of Ireland
President of Ireland
The President of Ireland is the head of state of Ireland. The President is usually directly elected by the people for seven years, and can be elected for a maximum of two terms. The presidency is largely a ceremonial office, but the President does exercise certain limited powers with absolute...
and would seek the Fine Gael party nomination for the 2011 presidential election. In July 2011, she was defeated for the nomination by Gay Mitchell
Gay Mitchell
Gabriel "Gay" Mitchell is an Irish politician and Member of the European Parliament for the Dublin constituency since 2004. He is a member of Fine Gael, part of the European People's Party, and a former Teachta Dála for the Dublin South Central constituency from 1981–2007. He was defeated by...
.