Seán Power

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Seán Power (born October 14, 1960) is an Irish Fianna Fáil politician. He is currently a Teachta Dála (TD) for Kildare South and Minister of State at the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources with special responsibility for the Information Society and Natural Resources.

Seán Power was born in Caragh, near Naas in County Kildare and was educated locally at the Christian Brothers School in Naas. He was first elected to Dáil Éireann in the 1989 General Election, as a Fianna Fáil TD for the Kildare constituency. He has been re-elected at the three subsequent general elections.

In 1991 Power was a key member of the so-called "gang of four" which proposed a motion of no confidence in the Taoiseach, and the leader of his party, Charles Haughey. The other members of the group were Noel Dempsey, Liam Fitzgerald and M. J. Nolan. That incident led to Albert Reynolds's first bid for the leadership and to Haughey's eventual resignation in 1992. When Reynolds eventually became Taoiseach, Power was appointed Assistant Chief Whip. Since then he has served as a member of the Joint Committees on European Affairs and on the Environment and Local Government. In Bertie Ahern's Cabinet reshuffle of 2004 Power received the post of Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children with special responsibility for Health Promotion. After the 2007 general election he was appointed to his current post of at the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform with special responsibility for Equality. On 13 May 2008, shortly after Brian Cowen became Taoiseach, he was appointed as Minister of State at the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources with special responsibility for Information Society and Natural Resources.

Seán Power is the son of the former TD, MEP and Cabinet Minister, Paddy Power. His brother, J. J. Power is a Green Party member of Kildare County Council.

[edit] See also

[edit] Political Career

Oireachtas
Preceded by
Paddy Power
(Fianna Fáil)		 Fianna Fáil Teachta Dála for
Kildare
1989–1997		 Succeeded by
Constituency abolished
Preceded by
Newly created constituency		 Fianna Fáil Teachta Dála for
Kildare South
1997 – present		 Incumbent
Political offices
Preceded by
Newly created office		 Minister of State (with special responsibility for Health Promotion)
2004–2007		 Succeeded by
Pat "the Cope" Gallagher
Preceded by
Frank Fahey		 Minister of State (with special responsibility for Equality)
2007–2008		 Succeeded by
John Moloney
Preceded by
Newly created office		 Minister of State at the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources
(with special responsibility for Information Society and Natural Resources)
2008–present		 Incumbent