Padraig Flynn

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Pádraig Flynn (Irish: Pádraig Ó Floinn; born May 9, 1939) is a former Irish politician. He was first elected to Dáil Éireann as a Fianna Fáil TD in 1977. He was returned at each subsequent election until 1993. During this time he served as Minister for Trade, Commerce & Tourism (1982), Minister for the Environment (1987–1991), Minister for Justice (1992–1993) and Minister for Industry & Commerce (1992–1993). Flynn served as European Commissioner from 1993 until 1999.

Flynn was born in Castlebar, County Mayo on May 9, 1939. He was educated in St. Gerard's, Castlebar and qualified as a teacher from St. Patrick's Training College in Dublin. He became involved in local politics in 1967 when he became a member of Mayo County Council. Ten years later, in the 1977 general election, he was elected to Dáil Éireann as a Fianna Fáil TD. On his first day in the Dáil he arrived in a white suit and black shirt, certainly earmarking himself as one of Dáil Éireann's more colourful characters over the next fifteen years.

Flynn was a supporter of Charles Haughey in the 1979 Fianna Fáil leadership contest. His loyalty was rewarded when he became a Minister of State at the Department of Transport and Power. Flynn joined the Cabinet table for the first time in 1982 when in October he was appointed Minister for Trade, Commerce and Tourism. However, his time in office was brief, since Fianna Fáil lost the November 1982 general election.

Fianna Fáil was returned to power in the 1987 general election and Flynn became Minister for the Environment. Two years later he opposed the formation of the coalition government with the Progressive Democrats, describing it "as hitting at Fianna Fáil core values." In 1990 his attack on the suitability of presidential candidate Mary Robinson (because she was "a wife and mother") backfired drastically, causing many women to back Robinson, who won the election. The controversy also made Flynn appear to be a backwards- looking arch-conservative myogonist in the eyes of many with one satirist dubbing him "Flynn-stone". In 1991 Flynn was sacked from the Cabinet because of his support for a motion of no confidence in the Taoiseach, Charles Haughey. The following year Albert Reynolds became Taoiseach. Flynn was rewarded for supporting Reynolds by becoming Minister for Justice. In 1993 he retired from domestic politics when he was appointed Ireland's EU Commissioner. He was re-appointed by the Fine Gael government in 1995 and on both of these occasions he served in the Social Affairs portfolio.

On January 15, 1999 Flynn made comments on a live chat show (The Late Late Show) regarding Tom Gilmartin and a donation of £50,000 to the Fianna Fáil party. That particular episode of the show also became legendary in that Flynn made comments on his own lifestyle (following a question by journalist Barry O'Halloran); he boasted of having a salary of £100,000 (Punts) together with three houses, cars and housekeepers and travelled regularly, yet complained about the hassle involved. The performance which was seen as eccentric and out of touch - at a time when inflation saw house prices rise dramatically. Also, unknown to Flynn, Gilmartin was actually watching the Late Late on Tara Television at his home in Luton. This was seen as the end of any possible return to politics in Ireland, although he was previously respected. Flynn's second term as Commissioner ended early in September 1999 when the entire commission resigned due to allegations of malpractice by the European Parliament. He was not reappointed to the Commission and retired from politics completely.

Flynn's daughter Beverley is currently an independent TD for Mayo, having been expelled from Fianna Fáil when her involvement in unethical business practices came to public notice.

[edit] Political career

Political offices
Preceded by Paddy Power	Minister for Trade, Commerce & Tourism 1982	Succeeded by Frank Cluskey
Preceded by John Boland	Minister for the Environment 1987–1991	Succeeded by John P. Wilson
Preceded by Ray Burke	Minister for Justice 1992–1993	Succeeded by Máire Geoghegan-Quinn
Preceded by Desmond O'Malley	Minister for Industry & Commerce 1992–1993	Succeeded by Bertie Ahern
Preceded by Ray MacSharry	European Commissioner from Ireland 1993–1999	Succeeded by David Byrne