Fergus O'Dowd

Fergus O'Dowd
TD
Chair of the Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport
Assumed office
8 July 2017
Preceded by Brendan Griffin
Minister of State for the NewEra Project
In office
10 March 2011 – 15 July 2014
Taoiseach Enda Kenny
Preceded by New office
Succeeded by Office abolished
Teachta Dála
Assumed office
May 2002
Constituency Louth
Senator
In office
12 September 1997 – 30 May 2002
Constituency Administrative Panel
Personal details
Born (1948-09-01) 1 September 1948
Thurles, County Tipperary, Ireland
Nationality Irish
Political party Fine Gael
Spouse(s) Agnes O'Dowd
Relations Niall O'Dowd (Brother)
Children 3
Alma mater NUI Maynooth

Fergus O'Dowd (born 1 September 1948) is an Irish Fine Gael politician who has been a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Louth constituency since the 2002 general election. He was appointed Chair of the Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport in July 2017. He previously served as Minister of State for the NewEra Project from 2011 to 2014.[1][2]

O'Dowd was born in Thurles, County Tipperary. He was educated by the Christian Brothers in Drogheda, County Louth. He lives in the town. He served three terms as Chairman of Drogheda Town Council: 1977–78, 1981–82 and 1994–95. He served on Louth County Council between 1979 and 2003.

O'Dowd is married to Agnes O'Dowd and they have three sons. He is a brother of Niall O'Dowd, publisher of the Irish Voice newspaper in New York City.[3] Another brother, Michael O'Dowd, ran against him for Renua at the 2016 general election.[4] Yet another brother lives in France.[5]

A teacher before entering politics, O'Dowd was elected to Seanad Éireann on the Administrative Panel in 1997. He was first elected to Dáil Éireann at the 2002 general election, on his fourth attempt.[6] He was immediately appointed Fine Gael spokesperson for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs. He was party spokesperson on Environment, Heritage and Local Government from 2004 to 2007, and on Transport and Marine from 2007 to 2010. In June 2010, he supported Richard Bruton's leadership challenge to Enda Kenny. Following Kenny's victory in a motion of confidence, O'Dowd was appointed as party spokesperson on Education and Skills.[7]

On 10 March 2011, he was appointed as Minister of State for the NewEra Project.[2] He was dropped as a Minister of State in a reshuffle in July 2014.[8]

References

  1. ↑ "Mr. Fergus O'Dowd". Oireachtas Members Database. Retrieved 12 October 2009.
  2. 1 2 Government economic stimulus plan
  3. ↑ "Drumm says words taken out of context". Sunday Independent. 30 June 2013.
  4. ↑ "A Fine Gael TD is being challenged by his own brother: Michael O'Dowd is running for Renua against his brother, former minister Fergus O'Dowd". TheJournal.ie. 28 September 2015.
  5. ↑ O'Dowd, Fergus. Tonight with Vincent Browne. 22 March 2016.
  6. ↑ "Fergus O'Dowd". ElectionsIreland.org. Retrieved 12 October 2009.
  7. ↑ "Bruton & Noonan return to Fine Gael frontbench". RTÉ News. 1 July 2010. Archived from the original on 4 July 2010. Retrieved 3 July 2010.
  8. ↑ "Simon Harris among new Ministers of State". RTÉ News. 15 July 2014.
Oireachtas
Preceded by
Brendan McGahon
(Fine Gael)		 Fine Gael Teachta Dála for Louth
2002–present		 Incumbent
Political offices
New office Minister of State for the NewEra Project
2011–2014		 Succeeded by
Office abolished
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