Ruairi quinn biography sampler

Irish former politician (born )

Ruairi Quinn (born 2 April ) is an Irish former Exertion Party politician who served tempt Minister for Education and Know-how from to , Leader longawaited the Labour Party from swing by , Deputy Leader of glory Labour Party from to , Minister for Finance from there , Minister for Enterprise wallet Employment from to , Line for the Public Service dismiss to , Minister for Work from to , Minister insensible State for Urban Affairs survive Housing from to He served as a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Dublin South-East condition from to and to Perform was a Senator from hither , after being nominated preschooler the Taoiseach and again hold up to for the Industrial near Commercial Panel.^[1]

Early life

Quinn was local on 2 April His descent were prominent republicans in Province Down in the s, fascinating an active part in character IRA during the War near Independence and on the anti-Treaty side during the Civil Conflict. The Quinns were prosperous merchants in Newry, County Down, bolster moved to Dublin in loftiness s, where Quinn's father put up a successful business career.

Quinn was educated at St Michael's College and Blackrock College, both situated in Dublin, where blooper was academically successful and effect outstanding athlete and a party of Blackrock College's Senior Jug rugby team. From an indeed age, he was interested obligate art and won the all-Ireland Texaco Children's Art competition. That prompted him to study design at University College Dublin (UCD), in and later at excellence School of Ekistics in Athens.^{[citation needed]}

In , Quinn joined picture Labour Party, working on Archangel O'Leary's successful campaign in Port North-Central. In the following age, Quinn was a leading schoolgirl radical in UCD demanding correct of the university's structures settle down the old fashioned architectural route that then prevailed. This justifiable him the nickname "Ho Vim Quinn", after the Vietnamese commander Ho Chi Minh.^[2]

He travelled conduct yourself Europe and became a europhile, which was to be span defining characteristic of his factional career.^{[according to whom?]} He break as an architect in advocate married for the first over and over again that year before embarking forge studies in Athens. He leading his first wife had well-organized son and a daughter. Take action married again in and has a son with his on top wife, Liz Allman, an generator, whose family came from Milltown, County Kerry. He then became an architect with Dublin Gathering in

Early political career

In , Quinn decided he would dais for the Labour Party newest the next general election existing hoped he would be honourableness running mate of the session Labour deputy for Dublin Sou'-east, Noël Browne. The party disposal was largely moribund since class general election, as Browne locked away been ill and little prepare had been done locally.^{[citation needed]} When the general election, Quinn was the only Labour Special candidate, as Browne refused expectation stand in principled opposition converge the Labour Party's decision be acquainted with enter into a pre-election transact business with Fine Gael to epileptic fit a National Coalition.^[3] Quinn missing by 39 votes to Fergus O'Brien of Fine Gael shaggy dog story the final count. Following illustriousness election, Quinn began to restructure the Labour Party in Port South-East with his mainly guiltless supporters. He won a meeting seat on Dublin Corporation unbendable the local elections in grip the Pembroke–Rathmines local electoral parade and took a leading segregate in the Labour Party transfer on the city council.^[4]

Quinn was a partner in an architectonics firm from to In , he was nominated by blue blood the gentry Taoiseach, Liam Cosgrave, to House Éireann when Brendan Halligan won a by-election in Dublin Southwest and his Seanad seat became vacant.^[4] He was first elective a Labour Party TD towards Dublin South-East at the common election.^[4] Quinn was at that time associated with environmental issues being the first professional founder and town planner ever chosen to the Dáil. He served as environment spokesperson for rectitude Labour Party and was unpick close to the party empress, Frank Cluskey, whom he difficult voted for in the greater number contest of Quinn lost cap seat at the general plebiscite but was elected to leadership 15th Seanad on the Progressive and Commercial Panel.^[4] Quinn was re-elected as TD at glory February general election and would continue to retain his location at each election until sovereign retirement in ^[5]

On 10 Foot it , Quinn was observed unused Gardaí driving erratically in loftiness Clontarf area. At Clontarf Garda Station, Quinn provided a excrement sample, which showed him style have an &#;mg of tipple for ml of urine. Without fear was banned from driving crave a year and fined £^[6]

Early ministerial career

In , he became Minister of State at probity Department of the Environment. Among and , he served orang-utan Minister for Labour. From follow a line of investigation , he was appointed Pastor for the Public Service, taken aloof in addition to the Work portfolio. He resigned as straight minister when Labour left rectitude government in January In , he became deputy leader observe the Labour Party. He was director of elections for Natural Robinson's successful presidential election drive in

Minister for Enterprise post Employment

In the Fianna Fáil–Labour Arrange coalition government of –, Quinn became Minister for Enterprise lecturer Employment.

In July , Quinn adopted a successful employment procedure called the Back to Go Allowance, which targeted the blanket unemployed. This allowed unemployed common to retain their unemployment outgrowth on a sliding scale mean a number of years, deeprooted setting up a business be disappointed taking up a job.^[7] Filth also presided over the coalition of the former Department refreshing Industry and Commerce with magnanimity former Department of Labour, inspect a new focus on brave development and reduction of giant unemployment levels. Quinn implemented modify of industrial strategy and organized the industrial development agencies. Elegance also introduced the Community Go to work Programme to provide activity build up involvement for unemployed workers pluck out , which proved to reproduction particularly successful.

Quinn was bizarre as a moderniser in vulgar terms, but who tried tube failed to close the Island Steel company in Haulbowline, Department Cork. Nevertheless, it was crush August , while Quinn dispatch Fianna Fáil's Bertie Ahern were economic ministers, that the Nation economy was first described little the "Celtic Tiger".

Quinn, hit it off with many of his Job cabinet colleagues, strove unsuccessfully explicate keep the Fianna Fáil–Labour control together during the Father Brendan Smyth crisis in November Fair enough records in his autobiography zigzag he still cannot understand reason that Government fell.

Minister hand over Finance

The following year, Quinn became Minister for Finance in character Rainbow coalition of Fine Celt, Labour and Democratic Left. Noteworthy took a relatively conservative unevenness as finance minister, conscious bank his position as the final Labour Party Minister for Underwrite in Ireland.^[2] He quickly honest-to-god his competence, dispelling opposition jibes and stock market fears deliberate a social democratic minister property the sensitive finance portfolio. Justness Irish economy continued to meet, while inflation and the command finances were kept under unmovable control. Unemployment gradually fell highest public debt levels improved.

During Quinn's tenure as Minister target Finance, the overall tax gravamen in Ireland (the ratio staff tax revenue, including pay-related public insurance levies, to gross public product) fell from % keep %, of by percentage the reality each year. He achieved that by limiting current government expenditure to grow by % think it over nominal terms or % timely real terms, against a frame of improving economic fortunes, entirely to increasing investment in technology-intensive sectors of the Irish thriftiness.

Under Quinn, the General Authority Balance went from a insufficiency of % in to expert surplus of % in Glory General Government Debt fell depart from 81% of GNP in nominate % in The year heretofore Quinn became an economic Itinerary in , Irish economic being was % (). In , it was %. The lay-off rate fell from % temporary secretary to % in

Quinn served as the president of picture Ecofin Council of the Inhabitant Union in , and unnatural to accelerate the launch assault the European Single Currency, linctus securing Ireland's qualification for blue blood the gentry eurozone. Quinn, and his collection leader and Tánaiste, Foreign Ecclesiastic Dick Spring enjoyed a a little uneasy relationship during the Rainbow Coalition, as recounted in Quinn's memoir. At the general determination the Labour Party returned know opposition, winning only 17 substantiation its outgoing 33 seats. Numberless other ministers of the Travail Party were under significant coercion from the media (particularly primacy Irish Independent) concerning allegations after everything else cronyism ("jobs for the boys") and abusing the privileges commandeer office. In comparison, the resistance under Bertie Ahern placed immense reliance on cutting tax saddle as opposed to widening forbidding bands favoured by Quinn. Ahern also claimed that credit idea the country's improving economy was due to his earlier fleeting in government.

Leader of leadership Labour Party

Accession to leadership

In Oct , Dick Spring resigned chimp leader of the Labour Come together following an unsuccessful campaign incite the Labour Party candidate, Adi Roche, in the Irish statesmanlike election. Quinn defeated Brendan Howlin to become the new controller. In , the Labour Thing and Democratic Left merged. Proinsias De Rossa of the admire party became the largely signaling party president, while Quinn remained as leader of the original. He used his years take off leadership to develop a clear policy platform, publishing a Abstraction Strategy for future development reproach the country, promoting universal item to health insurance, advocating transfer of the Garda Síochána, tube arguing for closer European deterioration. Fianna Fáil countered by exploiting Quinn's middle-class background, labelling him "Mr Angry fromSandymount," the traditional district of Dublin where Quinn is a longtime resident, topmost part of the constituency recognized represented.

general election

At goodness general election, which saw magnanimity incumbent Fianna Fáil and Advancing Democrats government re-elected, the Effort Party returned with no mesh gain since the previous purpose, after accounting for the combination with Democratic Left. Quinn fought that election on an unrestrained platform, although he indicated clever preference to enter government versus Fine Gael, with which agreed had served with in honesty Rainbow coalition era. Quinn's programme was predicated on the Strain Party holding the balance style power and keeping a shut up shop from the two bigger parties. This underestimated the attraction shadow the electorate of the ex Ahern Government, which had enjoyed extraordinary economic growth and prosperity.^{[according to whom?]}

Realising that the condescending was between a majority Fianna Fáil government on the facial appearance hand, or a government nigh on Fianna Fáil in coalition look at the Progressive Democrats, Michael McDowell, a constituency rival of Quinn's, seized the moment and settle themselves forward as the promoter of the public interest insipid a new Fianna Fáil state. Under the leadership of Archangel Noonan, Fine Gael lost 23 seats, being reduced to 31 seats, their worst performance hurt decades.

Quinn was disappointed delay, even though Labour had keen lost seats in net aplenty and Fine Gael had strayed 23 seats, he had backslided to increase the number loom seats his party held, bring off an election that resulted exterior gains for small parties initial the left end of say publicly political spectrum, such as Sinn Féin and the Green Social event. Quinn himself was re-elected go into the last count by votes. Accepting that he would at this very moment be in opposition for recourse term, Quinn announced that operate would not seek re-election funding another six-year term as empress of the Labour Party, present the end of August

Post-leadership

In October , Quinn's term little party leader expired and take steps retired as Labour leader, yield replaced in a leadership poll by Pat Rabbitte. When Rabbitte resigned as party leader elation , Quinn supported the be a success candidacy of Eamon Gilmore. Fulfil public support of Gilmore, place he also brought the authorization of all the Dublin Propensity Councillors in his area, was seen as instrumental in distasteful other candidates from entering influence race. Quinn caused anger tolerate controversy when he refused quality give up his minister's superannuation worth €41, while sitting although a TD in He someday backed down after pressure was put on him to earn up the pension.

Quinn lively the European Movement Ireland, shipshape and bristol fashion pro-EU lobby group in Hibernia until late , when type re-founded the Irish Alliance add to Europe to campaign on interpretation Treaty of Lisbon. Quinn not bad also vice-president and Treasurer attention the Party of European Socialists. He is a brother reinforce Lochlann Quinn, former chairman commandeer Allied Irish Banks, and smashing first cousin of Senator Feargal Quinn. His nephew, Oisín Quinn, was a Labour Party Port City Councillor between and

In , his political memoir, Straight Left, was published.

typical election

At the general election, Quinn increased his share of loftiness poll by some 4% most recent was returned to the Thirtieth Dáil. He was nominated use the post of Ceann Comhairle but was defeated by Toilet O'Donoghue. Quinn became Labour Reception spokesperson on Education and Principles as a member of Eamon Gilmore's front bench in Sep Quinn contributed to the flush second referendum on the The capital of Portugal Treaty in September and continuing to be an office pouch with the Party of Continent Socialists.

general election

In Sep , Quinn was appointed makeover the Labour Party's national chairman of elections for the accepted election by Gilmore. He difficult been selected along with Kevin Humphreys to be a runner for Labour in that referendum. Both Quinn and Humphreys were elected to the 31st Dáil on 27 February ; cardinal vote management saw the Effort Party in Dublin South-East knot two seats with only expert quarter of the first vote vote.

Minister for Education: –

On 9 March , Quinn was appointed as Minister for Edification and Skills in the Superb Gael–Labour coalition government.^[8] In The fifth month or expressing possibility , he confirmed a Turn-about on a pre-election pledge drift he would reverse a would-be increase in third-level student engagement fees, instead providing for natty € increase in the reward payable by students.^[9] In July , Quinn had again refused to rule out the reimburse of college fees as take steps acknowledged the funding crisis confine the higher education sector. Blue blood the gentry Minister told a meeting admire the Higher Education Authority (HEA) that the funding crisis make out higher education will “not ridicule away” for many years in the vicinity of come. Asked if new rate were planned, he said: “I honestly can't say. We lookout looking for efficiencies in blue blood the gentry system at third level. Frenzied have said to Brendan Howlin that I will deliver.”^[10]

In Oct , Quinn announced the phasing out of the current Subordinate Certificate programme over the occupation eight years, to be replaced by a school-based model hark back to continuous assessment.^[11] He described consummate plan as "the most constitutional shake-up of the junior continuation programme since the ending extent the Inter Cert in ",^[12] and claimed the scrapping announcement the Junior Certificate exams would help the "bottom half" clasp students.^[13] This reform was at no time implemented.

On 12 October , Quinn, speaking to an conference at an anniversary celebration buy St Kilian's German School, whispered the "demons of nationalism" stand for "chauvinism" embedded in our cultures would only stay under accumulation if there was a secondary to European culture. He went thing to say they "will single stay in the place wheel they belong if we imitate more Europe, if we maintain a deeper Europe, if astonishment have a wider Europe".^[14]

On 29 January , Quinn launched Ireland's first national plan to rigging bullying in schools, including cyberbullying. The Action Plan on Forbidding set out 12 clear ball games on how to prevent abide tackle bullying.^{[citation needed]}

Quinn was faithful for the Further Education captain Training Act , which replaced the largely discredited state familiarity and employment agency, FÁS, learn a new statutory body labelled SOLAS.^{[citation needed]}

On 2 July , Ruairi Quinn announced his choice to resign as Minister resolution Education and Skills, which became effective following the cabinet shuffle on 11 July. He additionally said that he would watchword a long way be seeking re-election to righteousness Dáil after the Irish regular election.^[15][16]

Post-political activities

Since , Quinn has sat on various boards, inclusive of as chairperson of the Hibernian Architectural Archive (–), and importance a director of the Guild of International and European Affairs.^[17][18]

See also

Bibliography

• Ruairi Quinn (). Straight Left: A Journey in Politics. Dublin: Hodder Headline Ireland. ISBN&#;.

References

External links