Liam Aylward
| Liam Aylward | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of the European Parliament | |
|
In office June 2004 – May 2014 | |
| Constituency | East |
| Teachta Dála | |
|
In office June 1977 – May 2007 | |
| Constituency | Carlow–Kilkenny |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
27 September 1952 County Kilkenny, Ireland |
| Nationality | Irish |
| Political party | Fianna Fáil |
Liam Aylward (born 27 September 1952) is an Irish former Fianna Fáil politician. He was a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Carlow–Kilkenny constituency from 1977 to 2007,[1] and an Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for the East constituency from 2004 to 2014.
Liam Aylward was born in Mullinavat, County Kilkenny in 1952. He was educated at St Kieran's College, Kilkenny. He worked as a laboratory technician before getting involved in politics. He was elected to Kilkenny County Council in 1974, and served on that authority until 1992.
Aylward was first elected to Dáil Éireann as a Fianna Fáil TD for Carlow–Kilkenny at the 1977 general election in what proved to be a landslide for Fianna Fáil.[2] After this he served as Minister of State at the Department of Energy (1988–1989), the Department of Education (1992–1994) and the Department of Agriculture and Food (2002–2004). In 1998, Aylward was the subject of a complaint to Oireachtas authorities for groping a female usher in the Dáil bar, for which he apologised.[3] In June 2004 he was elected to the European Parliament in the East constituency for Fianna Fáil, which was then part of the Union for a Europe of Nations.
After the 2009 European Parliament election Fianna Fáil became affiliated with ALDE. Aylward became a member of the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development, the delegation for relations with Mercosur, and the delegation to the Euro-Latin American Parliamentary Assembly. He also became a substitute member of the Committee on Culture and Education and the delegation to the ACP–EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly.
Owing to the dual mandate legislation that forbids members of the European Parliament from seeking re-election as members of their national legislatures, he retired from national politics at the 2007 general election. He was succeeded as a Fianna Fáil TD by his brother Bobby Aylward. They are sons of Bob Aylward, who served as a Fianna Fáil senator.
Aylward has opted not to receive a ministerial pension, but still receives annual pension payments of around €50,000 from his time as a TD.[4]
He retired from politics at the 2014 European Parliament election.[5]
See also
References
- ↑ "Mr. Liam Aylward". Oireachtas Members Database. Retrieved 9 May 2009.
- ↑ "Liam Aylward". ElectionsIreland.org. Retrieved 9 May 2009.
- ↑ O'Connell, Hugh (1 February 2016). "9 times when Irish politics has been really sexist". TheJournal.ie.
- ↑ Kelly, Fiach (10 November 2011). "Thanks big fellas: Ahern and Cowen get massive pensions". Irish Independent. Retrieved 10 November 2011.
- ↑ "Liam Aylward to retire undefeated". Kilkenny People. 19 November 2013.
External links
| Oireachtas | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Desmond Governey (Fine Gael) |
Fianna Fáil Teachta Dála for Carlow–Kilkenny 1977–2007 |
Succeeded by Bobby Aylward (Fianna Fáil) |
| Political offices | ||
| New office | Minister of State for Animal Health and Welfare and Customer Service 2002–2004 |
Succeeded by Office abolished |
| European Parliament | ||
| Preceded by Jim Fitzsimons |
Member of the European Parliament for East 2004–2014 |
Succeeded by Constituency abolished |