Mervyn Taylor
Encyclopedia
Mervyn Taylor is a former Irish
Labour Party
politician and government
minister.
He was born to a Jewish family in Dublin. He was educated at Zion School, Wesley College Dublin and at Trinity College Dublin where he qualified as a solicitor.
He worked for Herman Good Solicitors alongside Herman Good and future district judge, Hubert Wine
. Good's involvement in the Labour Party was instrumental in Taylor getting involved in politics.
in the 1970s, and to Dáil Éireann
as the Labour Party Teachta Dála
(TD) for Dublin South West
at the 1981 general election
. He then held the seat at every election until his retirement from politics in 1997.
He was Chairman of the Labour Party, and Labour chief whip
, from 1981 to 1988. He was assistant government chief whip from 1981 to 1982
, and again from 1982
to 1987
. In 1993, he was appointed as Minister for Labour (for a brief period) and then served as Minister for Equality and Law Reform during the two governments of 1993-94
and 1994-97
.
the prohibition of divorce
legislation, steering the relevant bills through Dáil Éireann
and Seanad Éireann
, and winning the subsequent referendum
by the narrow margin of 0.5 per cent. In the course of the campaign, he survived criticism of the measure directed at his Jewish
faith, as well as a Supreme Court
ruling that public monies could not properly be spent in promoting the government's opinion on a referendum proposal.
His other major project was the introduction of two wide-ranging anti-discrimination measures, the Employment Equality Bill, and the Equal Status Bill. These were struck down by the Supreme Court but revised versions were approved by the Government in the final months of Taylor's term of office, and were ultimately published and enacted during the following Dáil term
.
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,...
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...
politician and government
Irish Government
The Government of Ireland is the cabinet that exercises executive authority in Ireland.-Members of the Government:Membership of the Government is regulated fundamentally by the Constitution of Ireland. The Government is headed by a prime minister called the Taoiseach...
minister.
He was born to a Jewish family in Dublin. He was educated at Zion School, Wesley College Dublin and at Trinity College Dublin where he qualified as a solicitor.
He worked for Herman Good Solicitors alongside Herman Good and future district judge, Hubert Wine
Hubert Wine
Judge Hubert C. Wine is a former solicitor, family court judge and prominent member of the Irish Jewish community who served as the chairman of the Jewish Representative Council of Ireland for fourteen years....
. Good's involvement in the Labour Party was instrumental in Taylor getting involved in politics.
Politics
Taylor was elected to Dublin County CouncilDublin County Council
Dublin County Council was a local authority for the administrative county of County Dublin in the Republic of Ireland. It was established by the Local Government Act 1898....
in the 1970s, and 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...
as the Labour Party 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 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 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....
. He then held the seat at every election until his retirement from politics in 1997.
He was Chairman of the Labour Party, and Labour chief whip
Whip (politics)
A whip is an official in a political party whose primary purpose is to ensure party discipline in a legislature. Whips are a party's "enforcers", who typically offer inducements and threaten punishments for party members to ensure that they vote according to the official party policy...
, from 1981 to 1988. He was assistant government chief whip from 1981 to 1982
Members 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 again from 1982
Members of the 23rd Dáil
This is a list of the members who were elected to the 23rd Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas of Ireland. These TDs were elected at the February 1982 general election on 18 February 1982 and met on 9 March 1982. The 23rd Dáil was dissolved by President Patrick Hillery, at the request...
to 1987
Members of the 24th Dáil
This is a list of the members who were elected to the 24th Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas of Ireland. These TDs were elected at the November 1982 general election on 24 November 1982 and met on 14 December 1982...
. In 1993, he was appointed as Minister for Labour (for a brief period) and then served as Minister for Equality and Law Reform during the two governments of 1993-94
Government of the 27th Dáil
The 27th Dáil was elected at the 1992 general election on 25 November 1992 but did not meet until 4 January 1993, however the 23rd Government of Ireland was not appointed until the 12 January. The 27th Dáil lasted a total of 1,654 days.-23rd Government of Ireland :...
and 1994-97
Government of the 27th Dáil
The 27th Dáil was elected at the 1992 general election on 25 November 1992 but did not meet until 4 January 1993, however the 23rd Government of Ireland was not appointed until the 12 January. The 27th Dáil lasted a total of 1,654 days.-23rd Government of Ireland :...
.
Legislation
In 1995, Taylor was in charge of the government proposal to remove from the constitutionConstitution of Ireland
The Constitution of Ireland is the fundamental law of the Irish state. The constitution falls broadly within the liberal democratic tradition. It establishes an independent state based on a system of representative democracy and guarantees certain fundamental rights, along with a popularly elected...
the prohibition of divorce
Divorce
Divorce is the final termination of a marital union, canceling the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage and dissolving the bonds of matrimony between the parties...
legislation, steering the relevant bills through 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 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...
, and winning the subsequent referendum
Fifteenth Amendment of the Constitution of Ireland
The Fifteenth Amendment of the Constitution of Ireland repealed the constitutional prohibition of divorce. It was effected by the Fifteenth Amendment of the Constitution Act, 1995, which was approved by referendum on 24 November 1995 and signed into law on 17 June 1996.-Changes to the...
by the narrow margin of 0.5 per cent. In the course of the campaign, he survived criticism of the measure directed at his Jewish
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
faith, as well as a Supreme Court
Supreme Court (Ireland)
The Supreme Court of Ireland is the highest judicial authority in the Republic of Ireland. It is a court of final appeal and exercises, in conjunction with the High Court, judicial review over Acts of the Oireachtas . The Court also has jurisdiction to ensure compliance with the Constitution of...
ruling that public monies could not properly be spent in promoting the government's opinion on a referendum proposal.
His other major project was the introduction of two wide-ranging anti-discrimination measures, the Employment Equality Bill, and the Equal Status Bill. These were struck down by the Supreme Court but revised versions were approved by the Government in the final months of Taylor's term of office, and were ultimately published and enacted during the following Dáil term
Government of the 28th Dáil
The 28th Dáil was elected at the 1997 general election on 6 June 1997 and first met on 26 June when President Mary Robinson, appointed Bertie Ahern as Taoiseach, on the nomination of Dáil Éireann. On the nomination of the Taoiseach, and following the Dáil's approval the 25th Government of Ireland...
.