Jim Higgins (Irish politician)

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Jim Higgins (born 4 May 1945 in Ballyhaunis, County Mayo) is an Irish politician who has served as a member of Seanad Éireann, Dáil Éireann and the European Parliament.

He was educated at St Jarlath's College, Tuam and at University College Galway. Higgins worked as a Community School teacher before becoming involved in local politics as a member of Mayo County Council in 1979. He first ran for Dáil Éireann in the 1981 general election, but was unsuccessful. However, he was one of Taoiseach Garret FitzGerald's nominees to the 15th Seanad Éireann. He lost his Seanad seat in 1982 but was elected to the 17th Seanad by the Labour Panel in 1983, remaining in the upper house until 1987 as a member of the 17th Seanad. He was successful in the 1987 general election, winning a set in the 25th Dáil as a Fine Gael Teachta Dála (TD) for Mayo East.

In 1994 the Rainbow Coalition came to power and Higgins was appointed as Minister of State at the Department of Finance. The following year he became Minister of State at the Departments of the Taoiseach and Defence, as well as Chief Whip of the government. He remained in that position until a Fianna Fáil-Progressive Democrats coalition took office after the 1997 general election. Like many of his Fine Gael colleagues at the 2002 general election, Higgins lost his seat in the Mayo constituency. However, he was elected to Seanad Éireann by the Labour Panel, becoming a member of the 22nd Seanad. In the 2004 European Parliament elections Higgins was elected to the European Parliament as a Fine Gael MEP for the North-West constituency.

[edit] References

• This page incorporates information from this member's entry in the Oireachtas Members Database

[edit] External links

• Jim Higgins's page on the Fine Gael website
• Jim Higgins's electoral history (ElectionsIreland.org)

Political offices
Preceded by Phil Hogan	Minister of State at the Department of Finance Feb. 1995–May. 1995	Succeeded by Hugh Coveney
Preceded by Seán Barrett	Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach (Government Chief Whip) 1995–1997	Succeeded by Séamus Brennan
	Minister of State at the Department of Defence 1995–1997
European Parliament
Preceded by Joe McCartin	Member of the European Parliament for North-West 2004 – present	Incumbent

v • d • e « 21st Seanad «   Members of the 22nd Seanad Éireann (2002–2007)   » 23rd Seanad » Cathaoirleach Rory Kiely (FF)    •   Leader of the Seanad Mary O'Rourke (FF) Administrative Panel Timmy Dooley (FF) • Frank Feighan (FG) • Camillus Glynn (FF) • Tony Kett (FF) • Joe McHugh (FG) • Joanna Tuffy (Lab) • Diarmuid Wilson (FF) Agricultural Panel Paul Bradford (FG) • Paddy Burke (FG) • Ulick Burke (FG) • Peter Callanan (FF) • Rory Kiely (FF) • Martin Mansergh (FF) • Francis O'Brien (FF) • Kathleen O'Meara (Lab) • John Paul Phelan (FG) • Eamon Scanlon (FF) • Jim Walsh (FF) Cultural & Educational Panel Noel Coonan (FG) • Brian Hayes (FG) • Paschal Mooney (FF) • Labhrás Ó Murchú (FF) • Ann Ormonde (FF) Industrial & Commercial Panel James Bannon (FG) • Eddie Bohan (FF) • Paul Coghlan (FG) • Margaret Cox (Ind) • Marc MacSharry (FF) • Derek McDowell (Lab) • Kieran Phelan (FF) • Sheila Terry (FG) • Mary White (FF) Labour Panel Fergal Browne (FG) • Maurice Cummins (FG) • Brendan Daly (FF) • Geraldine Feeney (FF) • Michael Finucane (FG) • Liam Fitzgerald (FF) • John Gerard Hanafin (FF) • Jim Higgins (FG) • Terry Leyden (FF) • Don Lydon (FF) • Michael McCarthy (Lab) National University of Ireland Joe O'Toole (Ind) • Feargal Quinn (Ind) • Brendan Ryan (Lab) University of Dublin Mary Henry (Ind) • David Norris (Ind) • Shane Ross (Ind) Nominated by the Taoiseach (2002) Cyprian Brady (FF) • Michael Brennan (PD) • John Dardis (PD) • Maurice Hayes (Ind) • Brendan Kenneally (FF) • Michael P. Kitt (FF) • John Minihan (PD) • Tom Morrissey (PD) • Pat Moylan (FF) • Mary O'Rourke (FF) • Kate Walsh (PD) Nominated later May 2007 Colm O'Gorman (PD) • June 2007 Donie Cassidy (FF) • Chris Wall (FF) • Seán Dorgan (FF) • Peter Sands (FF) FF: Fianna Fáil • FG: Fine Gael • Lab: Labour Party • PD: Progressive Democrats • Ind: Independent

v • d • e « 16th Seanad «   Members of the 17th Seanad Éireann (1983–1987) » 18th Seanad » Cathaoirleach Patrick J. Reynolds (FG) • Leader of the Seanad James Dooge (FG) Administrative Panel Luke Belton (FG) • Katharine Bulbulia (FG) • Tras Honan (FF) • Patrick Kennedy (FG) • Michael Lynch (FF) • Martin O'Donoghue (FF) • Flor O'Mahony (Lab) Agricultural Panel Ulick Burke (FG) • John Ellis (FF) • Michael Ferris (Lab) • Richard Hourigan (FG) • Thomas Hussey (FF) • Rory Kiely (FF) • Joseph Lennon (FG) • Charles McDonald (FG) • Martin J. O'Toole (FF) • Michael Quealy (FG) • William Ryan (FF) Cultural & Educational Panel Séamus de Brún (FF) • Brian Fleming (FG) • Joachim Loughrey (FG) • Helena McAuliffe-Ennis (Lab) • Michael Smith (FF) Industrial & Commercial Panel Timmy Conway (Lab) • Jack Daly (FG) • Sean Fallon (FF) • Alexis FitzGerald, Jnr (FG) • Jack Fitzsimons (FF) • Michael Howard (FG) • Mick Lanigan (FF) • Patrick J. Reynolds (FG) • Eoin Ryan, Snr (FF) Labour Panel Donie Cassidy (FF) • Denis Cregan (FG) • Des Hanafin (FF) • Jack Harte (Lab) • Jim Higgins (FG) • Brian Hillery (FF) • Peter Kelleher (FG) • Mark Killilea, Jnr (FF) • Larry McMahon (FG) • Brian Mullooly (FF) • Andy O'Brien (FG) National University of Ireland James Dooge (FG) • Michael D. Higgins (Lab) • Brendan Ryan (Ind) University of Dublin Catherine McGuinness (Ind) • Mary Robinson (Ind) • Shane Ross (Ind) Nominated by the Taoiseach John Browne (FG) • John Connor (FG) • Jimmy Deenihan (FG) • Patrick Durcan (FG) • Brendan Howlin (Lab) • Christy Kirwan (Lab) • Patrick Magner (Lab) • Stephen McGonagle (Ind) • Seán A. O'Leary (FG) • John Robb (Ind) • Bríd Rodgers (Ind) Nominated 1987 Nuala Fennell (FG) • Paddy O'Toole (FG) FF: Fianna Fáil • FG: Fine Gael • Lab: Labour Party • Ind: Independent

v • d • e « 14th Seanad «   Members of the 15th Seanad Éireann (1981–1982) » 16th Seanad » Cathaoirleach Charles McDonald (FG)  • Leader of the Seanad Gemma Hussey (FG) Administrative Panel Katharine Bulbulia (FG) • Micheál Cranitch (FF) • Tras Honan (FF) • Patrick Kennedy (FG) • Jimmy Leonard (FF) • Flor O'Mahony (Lab) • Myles Staunton (FG) Agricultural Panel Richard Bruton (FG) • Pierce Butler (FG) • Michael Ferris (Lab) • Tom Fitzgerald (FF) • Thomas Hussey (FF) • Rory Kiely (FF) • John Mannion, Jnr (FG) • Charles McDonald (FG) • Liam Naughten (FG) • Martin O'Toole (FF) • William Ryan (FF) Cultural & Educational Panel Patsy Lawlor (FG) • Maurice Manning (FG) • Timothy McAuliffe (Lab) • Mary O'Rourke (FF) • Joe Walsh (FF) Industrial & Commercial Panel Deirdre Bolger (FG) • Barry Cogan (FF) • Sean Fallon (FF) • Alexis FitzGerald, Jnr (FG) • Michael Howard (FG) • Mick Lanigan (FF) • Ruairi Quinn (Lab) • Patrick J. Reynolds (FG) • Eoin Ryan, Snr (FF) Labour Panel John Blennerhassett (FG) • Toddie Byrne (FG) • Donal Carey (FG) • Séamus Dolan (FF) • Des Hanafin (FF) • Jack Harte (Lab) • Brian Hillery (FF) • Dan Kiely (FF) • Brian Mullooly (FF) • Andy O'Brien (FG) • Maurice O'Connell (FG) National University of Ireland Gemma Hussey (FG) • John A. Murphy (Ind) • Brendan Ryan (Ind) University of Dublin Catherine McGuinness (Ind) • Mary Robinson (Ind) • Shane Ross (Ind) Nominated by the Taoiseach Ulick Burke (FG) • John F. Carroll (Lab) • Timmy Conway (Lab) • James Dooge (FG) • Paddy Dunne (Lab) • Robert Fausset (FG) • Jim Higgins (FG) • Miriam Kearney (FG) • Patrick Magner (Lab) • Seán A. O'Leary (FG) • T. K. Whitaker (Ind) FF: Fianna Fáil • FG: Fine Gael • Lab: Labour • Ind: Independent

v • d • e « 1999–2004 «   Members of the European Parliament for Ireland (2004–2009)   » 2009–2014 » Dublin Proinsias De Rossa (LAB / PES) • Mary Lou McDonald (SF / EUL–NGL) • Gay Mitchell (FG / EPP–ED) • Eoin Ryan (FF / UEN) East Liam Aylward (FF / UEN) • Avril Doyle (FG / EPP–ED) • Mairead McGuinness (FG / EPP–ED) • North-West Marian Harkin (IND / ALDE) • Jim Higgins (FG / EPP–ED) • Seán Ó Neachtain (FF / UEN) South †Simon Coveney (FG / EPP–ED) • Brian Crowley (FF / UEN) • Kathy Sinnott (IND / IND/DEM) †Substituted by Colm Burke (FG / EPP–ED) • in June 2007.