.jpg)
Community hub
Recent from talks
Knowledge base stats:
Talk channels stats:
Members stats:
Charlie McCreevy
Charles McCreevy (born 30 September 1949) is an Irish former Fianna Fáil politician who served as European Commissioner for Internal Market and Services from 2004 to 2010, Minister for Finance from 1997 to 2004, Minister for Tourism and Trade from 1993 to 1994 and Minister for Social Welfare from 1992 to 1993. He served as a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Kildare constituency (and later the Kildare North constituency) from 1977 to 2004.
Born in Sallins, County Kildare, McCreevy was educated locally at Naas by the Congregation of Christian Brothers at Naas C.B.S., and later at Gormanston College. He studied commerce at University College Dublin and went on to become a chartered accountant. His family background was modest, his father and ancestors since the late 18th century was a lock-keeper on the Grand Canal, a job carried on by his mother, after the death of his father, when McCreevy was four years old.
Thus, his post-compulsory education was attained by winning scholarships. His political career began with when he won a seat in the Kildare constituency at the 1977 general election, which was a landslide for Charles Haughey's supporters in Fianna Fáil and he was re-elected at every subsequent election until he joined the European Commission. Between 1979 and 1985, he served as an elected member of the Kildare County Council.[citation needed]
In the December 1979, Fianna Fáil leadership contest, McCreevy strongly supported the controversial Charles Haughey, who narrowly won the post. However, in a time of severe budgetary difficulties for Ireland, McCreevy soon became disillusioned with the new Taoiseach and his fiscal policies. In October 1982, McCreevy launched a motion of no-confidence in the party leader, which evolved into a leadership challenge by Desmond O'Malley. In an open ballot and supported by only 21 of his 79 colleagues (known as the "Gang of 22"), the motion failed and McCreevy was temporarily expelled from the parliamentary party.[citation needed]
In later years O'Malley was expelled from Fianna Fáil itself and formed the Progressive Democrats (PDs), espousing conservative fiscal policies. Although considered ideologically close to the PDs, and a personal friend of its erstwhile leader, Mary Harney, McCreevy chose to remain a member of Fianna Fáil, where he would eventually serve in joint FF-PD Governments.[citation needed]
For his first 15 years as TD, while Haughey remained leader, McCreevy remained a backbencher. In 1992, Albert Reynolds became Taoiseach and McCreevy was appointed Minister for Social Welfare. In this role, he is principally remembered for a set of 12 cost-cutting measures, collectively termed the "dirty dozen", which were arguably minor in their direct impact but provided a major political headache for his party in the 1992 general election.
In 1993, he became Minister for Tourism and Trade, which he held until the government fell in December 1994. In opposition under new Fianna Fáil leader Bertie Ahern, McCreevy was appointed Opposition Spokesperson for Finance. In this role he was viewed as actively pro-enterprise, anti-spending and a key advocate for tax cuts.
In 1997, Fianna Fáil returned to power and McCreevy became Minister for Finance. His period coincided with the era of the "Celtic Tiger", which saw the rapid growth of the Irish economy due to social partnership between employers, government and unions; increased female participation in the labour force, decades of tuition-free secondary education; targeting of foreign (primarily U.S.) direct investment; a low corporation tax rate; an English-speaking workforce only five time-zones from New York, and membership of the European Union – which provided payments for infrastructural development, export access to the Single Market and a Eurozone country.
Hub AI
Charlie McCreevy AI simulator
(@Charlie McCreevy_simulator)
Charlie McCreevy
Charles McCreevy (born 30 September 1949) is an Irish former Fianna Fáil politician who served as European Commissioner for Internal Market and Services from 2004 to 2010, Minister for Finance from 1997 to 2004, Minister for Tourism and Trade from 1993 to 1994 and Minister for Social Welfare from 1992 to 1993. He served as a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Kildare constituency (and later the Kildare North constituency) from 1977 to 2004.
Born in Sallins, County Kildare, McCreevy was educated locally at Naas by the Congregation of Christian Brothers at Naas C.B.S., and later at Gormanston College. He studied commerce at University College Dublin and went on to become a chartered accountant. His family background was modest, his father and ancestors since the late 18th century was a lock-keeper on the Grand Canal, a job carried on by his mother, after the death of his father, when McCreevy was four years old.
Thus, his post-compulsory education was attained by winning scholarships. His political career began with when he won a seat in the Kildare constituency at the 1977 general election, which was a landslide for Charles Haughey's supporters in Fianna Fáil and he was re-elected at every subsequent election until he joined the European Commission. Between 1979 and 1985, he served as an elected member of the Kildare County Council.[citation needed]
In the December 1979, Fianna Fáil leadership contest, McCreevy strongly supported the controversial Charles Haughey, who narrowly won the post. However, in a time of severe budgetary difficulties for Ireland, McCreevy soon became disillusioned with the new Taoiseach and his fiscal policies. In October 1982, McCreevy launched a motion of no-confidence in the party leader, which evolved into a leadership challenge by Desmond O'Malley. In an open ballot and supported by only 21 of his 79 colleagues (known as the "Gang of 22"), the motion failed and McCreevy was temporarily expelled from the parliamentary party.[citation needed]
In later years O'Malley was expelled from Fianna Fáil itself and formed the Progressive Democrats (PDs), espousing conservative fiscal policies. Although considered ideologically close to the PDs, and a personal friend of its erstwhile leader, Mary Harney, McCreevy chose to remain a member of Fianna Fáil, where he would eventually serve in joint FF-PD Governments.[citation needed]
For his first 15 years as TD, while Haughey remained leader, McCreevy remained a backbencher. In 1992, Albert Reynolds became Taoiseach and McCreevy was appointed Minister for Social Welfare. In this role, he is principally remembered for a set of 12 cost-cutting measures, collectively termed the "dirty dozen", which were arguably minor in their direct impact but provided a major political headache for his party in the 1992 general election.
In 1993, he became Minister for Tourism and Trade, which he held until the government fell in December 1994. In opposition under new Fianna Fáil leader Bertie Ahern, McCreevy was appointed Opposition Spokesperson for Finance. In this role he was viewed as actively pro-enterprise, anti-spending and a key advocate for tax cuts.
In 1997, Fianna Fáil returned to power and McCreevy became Minister for Finance. His period coincided with the era of the "Celtic Tiger", which saw the rapid growth of the Irish economy due to social partnership between employers, government and unions; increased female participation in the labour force, decades of tuition-free secondary education; targeting of foreign (primarily U.S.) direct investment; a low corporation tax rate; an English-speaking workforce only five time-zones from New York, and membership of the European Union – which provided payments for infrastructural development, export access to the Single Market and a Eurozone country.