Joe McHugh
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| Joe McHugh TD | |
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Teachta Dála, Donegal North East
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| In office May 25th, 2007 – present |
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| Constituency | Donegal North East |
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| Born | July 16, 1971 Carrigart, Co. Donegal |
| Nationality | Irish |
| Political party | Fine Gael |
| Spouse | Olwyn Enright, TD |
Joe McHugh (born 16 July 1971) is an Irish Fine Gael Party politician. Elected to Dáil Éireann in the 2007 general election, he is currently a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Donegal North East constituency. In 2002, he was elected on the Administrative Panel to the 22nd Seanad Éireann, where he served as spokesperson on Community, Rural, Gaeltacht and Marine Affairs.
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[edit] Background
Born in Carrigart, County Donegal, McHugh was educated at Umlagh National School and the Loreto Convent, Milford. He attended the National University of Ireland, Maynooth, where he received an honours degree in economics and sociology, and a higher diploma in education.
A keen sportsman, McHugh has been a member of the Carrigart Boxing Club, has played soccer in the Donegal League with Cranford F.C. and Bonagee United F.C., and has also been a Gaelic footballer.
McHugh taught geography and mathematics at the Loreto Convent in Letterkenny from 1993 until 1995. From 1995–1996 he taught A-level economics in Dubai, during which time he helped establish the first GAA club in the United Arab Emirates. In 1996, he returned to Ireland and became a youth worker in the Ballyboe area of Letterkenny.
In July 2005, McHugh married Laois-Offaly Deputy Olwyn Enright. Both McHugh and Enright were elected to Dáil Éireann in May 2007, becoming only the second married couple to be elected to sit in the same Dáil.[1]
[edit] Political career
[edit] Donegal County Council
Selected by Fine Gael to run for a Donegal County Council seat in the Milford Electoral area, McHugh was elected on June 11, 1999. In 2001, he introduced a motion to establish a youth council for the county, which led to the formation of the Donegal Youth Council, the first democratically elected youth forum in Ireland. He has also worked closely with Young Fine Gael, helping to establish the first branch in the county in March 2004.
While a member of the council, he was appointed Chairman of the cross-border body ERNACT, where he made the provision of broadband in border areas a priority.
[edit] Seanad Éireann
Elected to Seanad Éireann in 2002, McHugh set up a full-time constituency office in Letterkenny. When Fine Gael chose him as its Donegal North East candidate for the Dáil, he moved into new premises, which were officially opened by Fine Gael party leader Enda Kenny on 6 October 2006. Deputy Kenny stated that the offices were "the biggest office of any Fine Gael deputy or senator around the country."
[edit] Dáil Éireann
After a surprise poll-topping victory in Donegal North East, where he captured 8,711 first-preference votes, almost 2,000 more than his nearest rival, McHugh was elected to Dáil Éireann in the 2007 general election. The constituency's first Fine Gael TD since 1997, McHugh will serve Donegal North East alongside Fianna Fáil deputies Jim McDaid and Niall Blaney.
[edit] See also
[edit] Fotnotes
- ^ Michael O'Higgins and his wife Brigid Hogan-O'Higgins both served in the 16th, 17th and 18th Dála.
[edit] External links
- Donegal Matters: Joe McHugh's community website for Donegal
- Fine Gael's Website for Senator Joe McHugh
- Joe McHugh's electoral history (electionsireland.org)
| Oireachtas | ||
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| Preceded by Cecilia Keaveney (Fianna Fáil) |
Teachta Dála for Donegal North East With Niall Blaney and Jim McDaid |
Incumbent |
