Fidelma Healy Eames

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Fidelma Healy Eames
Senator
Incumbent
Assumed office
July 2007
Constituency Labour Panel
Personal details
Born (1962-07-14) 14 July 1962
County Galway, Ireland
Nationality Irish
Political party Independent (since July 2013),
Fine Gael
Spouse(s) Michael Eames
Alma mater Carysfort College,
Western Connecticut SU,
NUI Galway
Occupation Former Primary teacher,
College lecturer
Website fidelmahealyeames.ie

Fidelma Healy Eames (born 14 July 1962) is an Irish politician and member of Seanad Éireann. She was first elected in 2007 by the Labour Panel.[1] She sits as an independent senator, having lost the Fine Gael parliamentary party whip in July 2013.[2]

Personal life

Healy Eames was a primary school teacher and college lecturer in teacher education. Healy Eames is married to Michael Eames. They live in Maree in Oranmore, County Galway.[3]

Business career

Her various appointments include: former Chairperson of County Galway VEC, member of Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT) Governing Body, member of HSE West Regional Forum, director of Galway Airport, member of Galway City and County Enterprise Board, member of Western Rail Committee and member of Galway Arts Centre Board.[4] She is Director of her own business, FHE Education and Training Providers.[4]

Legal dispute

In 2010, a tradesman, employed to carry out renovations at the Healy Eames residence in County Galway, launched a lawsuit against Healy Eames and her husband for unpaid fees.[3] On 26 July 2012, Galway Circuit Civil Court ordered Healy Eames's husband to pay more than €12,000 to the builder. Judge Rory McCabe found that a contract had existed between Healy Eames and the builder for work to be carried out at the Healy Eames residence in 2009.[5] Judge McCabe dismissed the case against Senator Healy Eames, though admitted it had not been unreasonable for the builder to sue her since the dispute concerned work carried out at her residence.[3]

Transport difficulties

A car belonging to Healy Eames was seized in Galway city on 2 July 2012 for its failure to display a valid car disc. She told the Galway Advertiser: “I was using public transport up and down to Dublin and I had neglected the car tax. There is no excuse. I was completely in the wrong”.[6] Healy Eames was then fined for boarding the Galway-Dublin train without a ticket on 12 July 2012, 10 days after her car was seized.[7][8] She was convicted and fined €1,850 for her motor tax offence.[9]

Political career

In October 2007, Healy Eames was appointed the Fine Gael Seanad spokesperson on Education and Science.[4] She was previously an unsuccessful candidate at the 2002, 2007 and the 2011 general elections for the Galway West constituency.[10] She was elected to Galway County Council in 2004, at her first local elections, for the Oranmore area, and served until 2007.

Healy Eames was the Fine Gael Seanad Spokesperson on Social Protection until July 2013.

Loss of party whip

Healy Eames was expelled from the Fine Gael parliamentary party on 16 July 2013 when she defied the party whip by voting against the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013.[2] On 13 September 2013, she and six other expellees formed the Reform Alliance, described as a "loose alliance" rather than a political party.[11]

References

  1. ↑ "Ms. Fidelma Healy Eames". Oireachtas Members Database. Retrieved 12 April 2009. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Seanad passes abortion legislation second stage". RTÉ News. 16 July 2013. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 "Court orders payment of €12,000 to plumber in unpaid fees". RTÉ News. 26 July 2012. Retrieved 26 July 2012. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 "About: Fidelma Healy Eames". Official website. Retrieved 16 July 2013. 
  5. ↑ "Court orders FG Senator's husband to pay plumber". Irish Independent. 26 July 2012. Retrieved 2 August 2012. 
  6. ↑ "FG Senator Fidelma Healy Eames admits her car seized for no tax disc". Irish Independent. 2 August 2012. Retrieved 2 August 2012. 
  7. ↑ "Healy Eames drops appeal against €100 train ticket fine". TheJournal.ie. 25 July 2012. Retrieved 2 August 2012. 
  8. ↑ "Senator Fidelma Healy Eames' car seized for not having valid tax disc". RTÉ News. 2 August 2012. Retrieved 2 August 2012. 
  9. ↑ "Fidelma Healy Eames fined €1850 over Motor Tax". RTÉ News. Retrieved 19 December 2012. 
  10. ↑ "Fidelma Healy Eames". ElectionsIreland.org. Retrieved 12 April 2009. 
  11. ↑ "The politicians formerly known as the Fine Gael rebels are now the Reform Alliance". TheJournal.ie. 10 September 2013. Retrieved 15 September 2013. 

External links

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