| Martin Mansergh | |
|---|---|
| Minister of State at the Department of Finance | |
| In office May 2008 – February 2011 |
|
| Preceded by | Noel Ahern |
| Succeeded by | Brian Hayes |
| Teachta Dála | |
| In office May 2007 – February 2011 |
|
| Constituency | Tipperary South |
| Senator | |
| In office September 2002 – May 2007 |
|
| Constituency | Agricultural Panel |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 31 December 1946 England |
| Nationality | Irish |
| Political party | Fianna Fáil |
| Alma mater | Christ Church, Oxford |
| Religion | Anglican |
Martin Mansergh (born 31 December 1946) is a former Irish Fianna Fáil politician and historian. He was a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Tipperary South constituency from May 2007 until his defeat at the general election in February 2011.[1] He was previously a senator from 2002 to 2007.
He has played a leading role in formulating Fianna Fáil policy on Northern Ireland. Unusually among current prominent Irish nationalists, Mansergh is an Anglican, and was born and raised in England.
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Mansergh is the son of the County Tipperary-born historian Nicholas Mansergh [2] He was educated at The King's School, Canterbury and Christ Church, Oxford, studying Politics, Philosophy and Economics and obtaining a Doctorate in philosophy for a study of pre-revolutionary French history.
He entered the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs, being appointed a Third secretary in 1974 and became a First Secretary in 1977. Later recruited by Taoiseach Charles Haughey, he has worked for the Fianna Fáil party ever since, serving under three Fianna Fáil leaders as Director of Research, Policy and Special Advisor on Northern Ireland where he was involved in discussions between the nationalist parties and the Irish Government and met regularly with intermediary Father Alec Reid.
Mansergh was a key member of the teams which formed the Fianna Fáil–Labour Party coalition in 1992 and the Fianna Fáil–Progressive Democrats coalition in 1997. As a senior adviser to successive Taoisigh, Mansergh has played a key role in the Northern Ireland peace process over the last twenty years. He ran for Fianna Fáil as a Dáil candidate in the Tipperary South constituency at the 2002 general election but failed to be elected with 14.2% of the poll.[3] However, Mansergh was elected to the 22nd Seanad by the Agricultural Panel in July of that year. At the 2007 general election he again ran for Fianna Fáil as a Dáil candidate in the Tipperary South constituency, this time being elected with 15.7% of the poll.[4] He is a member of the Irish Council of State.
Until 2006 he wrote a weekly column for The Irish Times, but resigned because of the upcoming general election. In May 2008, he was appointed as Minister of State at the Department of Finance with special responsibility for the Office of Public Works, as well as Minister of State at the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism with special responsibility for the Arts.
In January 2009 he offered to quit his junior ministry post to save money and called on people to retain their Celtic Tiger style optimism and self respect. He said: We're not going to get anywhere by completely throwing overboard our self respect. We have achieved a tremendous amount in the past 20 years - they were the best 20 years in our history. There will be cycles - we rose very high and we are where we are now. We have to work our way out of this intelligently.
Mansergh has been a strong supporter of former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, whose financial affairs are under investigation by the Mahon Tribunal. He has been accused by some commentators of being insulting, condescending and petulant to opposition politicians.[5]
On an RTÉ radio[6] show Morning Ireland in February 2008, Mansergh reassured listeners that Ahern's difficulties were no more than a spot of inflight turbulence, with a safe landing in sight. When Fine Gael's tribunal expert, Senator Eugene Regan dissented, Mansergh became quite agitated, questioning why Regan wanted to question Ahern's finances declaring to Regan that: You should have respect for your betters![6]
| Oireachtas | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Séamus Healy (Independent) |
Fianna Fáil Teachta Dála for Tipperary South 2007–2011 |
Succeeded by Séamus Healy (WUAG) |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by Noel Ahern |
Minister of State at the Department of Finance (with special responsibility for the Office of Public Works) 2008–2011 |
Succeeded by Brian Hayes |
| New office | Minister of State at the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism (with special responsibility for the Arts) 2008–2011 |
Succeeded by Office abolished |