Tommy Broughan
Encyclopedia
Thomas P. "Tommy" Broughan (born 1 August 1947) is an Irish
politician. He has been a Teachta Dála
(TD) for the Dublin North–East constituency since November 1992. He sits as an independent
TD after losing the Labour Party
whip on 1 December 2011.
Broughan was born in Dublin and educated at Moyle Park, Clondalkin
and University College Dublin
. He worked as a teacher at St Aidan's CBS, Whitehall
before entering politics in 1991 when he was elected to Dublin City Council
. The following year, he was first elected at the 1992 general election
to the 27th Dáil as a TD for Dublin North–East. Broughan retained his seat at the 1997 general election
, and was re-elected again at the 2002
, 2007 and 2011 general elections.
He has previously served as Labour Party spokesperson for Enterprise, Trade and Employment; Communications, Energy and Natural Resources; and Transport.
Broughan is regarded as being on the left-wing
of the Labour Party. During Pat Rabbitte
's leadership of the Labour party from 2002 to 2007 Broughan was a leading critic of Rabbitte's decision to form an electoral alliance with Fine Gael
, instead advocating an independent strategy for the party, in addition to closer co-operation with the Green Party
and Sinn Féin
.
He had the Labour parliamentary party whip withdrawn on 29 June 2010 for failing to attend a vote on the Wildlife (Amendment) Bill 2010 in the Dáil. He along with TD Joanna Tuffy
both opposed Labour going into coalition with Fine Gael in the aftermath of the 2011 general election.
During the 31st Dáil he became increasingly critical of a number of government policies. In November 2011, he criticized Transport Minister Leo Varadkar
's decision to cancel Metro North
claiming would have been a "huge boost" to economic growth and employment in the Dublin/Mid-Leinster region. He lost the parliamentary Labour Party whip
after voting to reject a government amendment to extend the bank guarantee for another year on 1 December 2011. He stated he could not support adding more debt and called on Labour party TDs to join him on the Opposition benches to oppose elements of the Government's economic policy.
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. He has been 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 Dublin North–East constituency since November 1992. He sits 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...
TD after losing the 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...
whip on 1 December 2011.
Broughan was born in Dublin and educated at Moyle Park, Clondalkin
Clondalkin
-Today:Modern Clondalkin is a busy satellite town of Dublin, with a population of 43,929 in 2006. Retail facilities include Tesco Ireland- and Dunnes Stores-led shopping centres, and Aldi and Lidl stores on the Fonthill Road and New Nangor Road respectively, and the village centre is a base for...
and University College Dublin
University 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...
. He worked as a teacher at St Aidan's CBS, Whitehall
Whitehall, Dublin
Whitehall is a Northside suburb of Dublin City, Ireland.Whitehall is on the northern outskirts of Dublin's inner city, located on the N1 road leading to Dublin Airport, Swords and Belfast, between Santry and Drumcondra. North of Whitehall, the N1 becomes a motorway, the M1...
before entering politics in 1991 when he was elected to Dublin City Council
Dublin City Council
Dublin City Council is the local authority for the city of Dublin in Ireland. It has 52 members and is the largest local authority in Ireland. Until 2001, it was known as Dublin Corporation.-Legal status:...
. The following year, he was first elected at the 1992 general election
Irish general election, 1992
The Irish general election of 1992 was held on Wednesday, 25 November 1992, almost three weeks after the dissolution of the Dáil on 5 November. However, after difficulties in forming a government the newly elected 166 members of the 27th Dáil did not assemble at Leinster House until 4 January 1993...
to the 27th Dáil as a TD for Dublin North–East. Broughan retained his seat at 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....
, and was re-elected again at the 2002
Irish general election, 2002
The Irish general election of 2002 was held on Friday, 17 May 2002 just over three weeks after the dissolution of the 28th Dáil on Thursday 25 April by President Mary McAleese, at the request of the Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern...
, 2007 and 2011 general elections.
He has previously served as Labour Party spokesperson for Enterprise, Trade and Employment; Communications, Energy and Natural Resources; and Transport.
Broughan is regarded as being on the left-wing
Left-wing politics
In politics, Left, left-wing and leftist generally refer to support for social change to create a more egalitarian society...
of the Labour Party. During Pat Rabbitte
Pat Rabbitte
Pat Rabbitte is an Irish Labour Party politician who has been Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources since March 2011...
's leadership of the Labour party from 2002 to 2007 Broughan was a leading critic of Rabbitte's decision to form an electoral alliance with 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...
, instead advocating an independent strategy for the party, in addition to closer co-operation with the Green Party
Green Party (Ireland)
The Green Party is a green political party in Ireland. It was founded as the Ecology Party of Ireland in 1981 by Dublin teacher Christopher Fettes. The party became the Green Alliance in 1983 and in 1987 was renamed to its current title in English...
and Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin is a left wing, Irish republican political party in Ireland. The name is Irish for "ourselves" or "we ourselves", although it is frequently mistranslated as "ourselves alone". Originating in the Sinn Féin organisation founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith, it took its current form in 1970...
.
He had the Labour parliamentary party whip withdrawn on 29 June 2010 for failing to attend a vote on the Wildlife (Amendment) Bill 2010 in the Dáil. He along with TD Joanna Tuffy
Joanna Tuffy
Joanna Tuffy is an Irish Labour Party politician. She has been a Teachta Dála for the Dublin Mid West constituency since 2007....
both opposed Labour going into coalition with Fine Gael in the aftermath of the 2011 general election.
During the 31st Dáil he became increasingly critical of a number of government policies. In November 2011, he criticized Transport Minister Leo Varadkar
Leo Varadkar
Leo Varadkar is an Irish Fine Gael politician. He has been a Teachta Dála for the Dublin West constituency since June 2007. He is currently the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, being appointed on 9 March 2011....
's decision to cancel Metro North
Metro north
Metro North can refer to either of* Metro-North Railroad, a commuter railroad serving parts of New York and Connecticut in the United States* Dublin Metro#Metro North, a branch of the proposed Dublin Metro, in Dublin, Ireland...
claiming would have been a "huge boost" to economic growth and employment in the Dublin/Mid-Leinster region. He lost the parliamentary Labour Party 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...
after voting to reject a government amendment to extend the bank guarantee for another year on 1 December 2011. He stated he could not support adding more debt and called on Labour party TDs to join him on the Opposition benches to oppose elements of the Government's economic policy.