Seán Barrett (Irish politician)

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For other persons named Sean Barrett, see Sean Barrett (disambiguation).

Seán Barrett (born August 9, 1944), is an Irish politician. He was educated at CBS Monkstown Park and Presentation Brothers College, Glasthule, Co Dublin. Before Barrett entered politics he was a partner in a successful Dublin-based insurance brokerage firm.

He first became involved in local politics, serving on Dublin County Council from 1974 until 1982. He was a member of Dublin County Council between 1991 and 1993 and then served as a member of the Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council until 1995.

Seán Barrett was first elected as a Fine Gael TD in the 1981 general election and at each subsequent election, until his retirement at the Irish general election 2002.

In December 1982 Garret FitzGerald became Taoiseach and Barrett was appointed Government Chief Whip and Minister of State at the Departments of An Taoiseach and Defence. Between February 1986 and March 1987 he served as Leader of the House with responsibility for Dáil Reform and Minister of State at the Department of Education.

John Bruton's Rainbow Coalition came to power in 1994 and Barrett became Government Chief Whip and Minister of State at the Departments of An Taoiseach and Defence. In 1995 the late Hugh Coveney TD resigned from the Cabinet in controversial circumstances. Barrett was then appointed Minister for Defence & the Marine. During his tenure Barrett dealt with the army deafness compensation issue that ultimately resulted in claims of approximately £300 million (€381 million) altogether against the State. There were approximately 9,000 claims by soldiers whose deafness arose from a failure to wear appropriate ear protection during firing exercises. There are 8,500 men and women serving in the Irish Army in 2006. Barrett's short ministerial career was blighted by critical remarks from Garda and army officers directed towards the Minister. His term as Minister ended when the Government lost power in the June 1997 election.

When Barrett, Liam T. Cosgrave and Monica Barnes were each first elected in 1981 Fine Gael secured three of the five seats and 48% of the first preference vote in Dún Laoghaire. But this massive vote of confidence waned over the following years and the party failed to win even one seat in Dún Laoghaire in the last general election on Barrett's retirement and that of his party colleague Monica Barnes.

Seán Barrett, Councillor John Bailey and Councillor Eugene Regan SC have been selected as the Fine Gael candidates in the Dún Laoghaire constituency in the next Irish general election.

Contents 1 The Mahon Tribunal 1.1 Fine Gael Condemns Barrett 'Outrage' 2 References 3 External links

[edit] The Mahon Tribunal

Seán Barrett, in evidence to The Mahon Tribunal on 8 June 2006^[1]., stated that he was approached by a stranger, while a member of Dublin County Council in the early 1990's, with a proposition that he would be paid a professional consultancy fee of approximately £80,000 (€101,600) to assist in a land-swap involving either Killiney Golf Club or Dún Laoghaire Golf Club with land owned at Cherrywood, Co Dublin by Monarch Properties,a property development company. Barrett told the Tribunal that he immediately rejected this proposition and acknowledged that had be accepted this would have brought him into conflict with his role as a councillor. He also expressed disgust at rumours that circulated in the Irish media and elsewhere over the past decade, or so, to the effect that he accepted large payments which he categorically told the Tribunal was not the case.

He did receive an unsolicited cheque for £600 in 1991 which he told the Tribunal was lodged to a Fine Gael Dún Laoghaire constituency bank account. Documentation provided by the Tribunal showed that Barrett received a cheque for £500 prior to the November 1992 election, that he had no recollection of. A further cheque for £1,000 was paid by Monarch Properties in respect of a constituency fund raising gala dinner, to Fine Gael in 1995.

[edit] Fine Gael Condemns Barrett 'Outrage'

A report in The Irish Times^[2] on Jul 15, 2006 described the Tribunal "as an outrage and a disgrace" for allowing unfounded allegations to be made against Barrett. Fine Gael, thorugh its solicitor, expressed regret to the Tribunal on July 25 for this remark, describing it as 'inappropriate' ^[3].

[edit] References

1. ^ Evidence of Seán Barrett to Mahon Tribunal, 8 June 2006. The Tribunal of Inquiry into Certain Planning Matters & Payments. Retrieved on 2006-08-12.
2. ^ "FG condemns Barrett tribunal 'outrage'", The Irish Times, 2006-07-15. Retrieved on 2006-08-13.
3. ^ Correspondence with Kevin O'Higgins, solicitor for Fine Gael, 25 July 2006. The Tribunal of Inquiry into Certain Planning Matters & Payments. Retrieved on 2006-08-12.

Preceded by Bertie Ahern	Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach (Government Chief Whip) 1982-1986	Succeeded by Fergus O'Brien
	Minister of State at the Department of Defence 1982-1986
Preceded by Noel Dempsey	Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach (Government Chief Whip) 1994-1995	Succeeded by Jim Higgins
	Minister of State at the Department of Defence 1994-1995
Preceded by Hugh Coveney	Minister for Defence 1995–1997	Succeeded by David Andrews
	Minister for the Marine 1995–1997	Succeeded by Michael Woods

[edit] External links

• Fine Gael
• Irish Army
• Dún Laoghaire Golf Club