John M. Kelly (politician)

John M. Kelly
Minister for Trade, Commerce and Tourism
In office
21 August 1981 – 9 March 1982
Preceded by Himself as Minister for Industry, Commerce and Tourism
Succeeded by Desmond O'Malley
Minister for Industry, Commerce and Tourism
In office
30 June 1981 – 21 August 1981
Preceded by Desmond O'Malley
Succeeded by Himself as Minister for Trade, Commerce and Tourism
Minister for Foreign Affairs
Acting
In office
30 June 1981 – 21 October 1981
Preceded by Brian Lenihan, Snr
Succeeded by James Dooge
Government Chief Whip
In office
14 March 1973 – 5 July 1977
Preceded by David Andrews
Succeeded by Patrick Lalor
Attorney General
In office
20 May 1977 – 5 July 1977
Preceded by Declan Costello
Succeeded by Anthony J. Hederman
Teachta Dála
In office
February 1973 – June 1989
Constituency Dublin South–Central
Senator
In office
November 1969 – March 1973
Constituency Cultural and Educational Panel
Personal details
Born 31 August 1931
Died 24 January 1991 (aged 59)
Nationality Irish
Alma mater University College Dublin, Heidelberg University

John Maurice Kelly (31 August 1931 – 24 January 1991) was an Irish legal academic and Fine Gael politician.[1]

Education

Kelly received his primary and secondary education at St Conleth's College in Dublin 4 and at the Glenstal Abbey School in County Limerick, respectively.

He attended University College Dublin between 1949 and 1954, and carried out postgraduate studies in the Heidelberg University, from 1954 to 1956. His thesis was published in 1957 as "Princeps Iudex".

Academic career

In the early 1960s, Kelly held a position as a don in Trinity College, Oxford.

He was a distinguished academic, serving for many years as Professor of Constitutional law, Roman law and Jurisprudence in University College Dublin. He was author of the standard work on the Constitution of Ireland; though published after Kelly's death, the third and later editions of this work still bear his name in honour of the original book. He was instrumental in the revival of the Irish law journal The Irish Jurist in the 1960s.

Political career

He first stood for election at the 1969 general election as a Fine Gael candidate for the Dublin South–Central constituency, he was not elected to Dáil Éireann but was subsequently elected to Seanad Éireann on the Cultural and Educational Panel. He was first elected to Dáil Éireann on his second attempt at the 1973 general election as a Fine Gael Teachta Dála (TD).[2] He retained his seat, but moved to the Dublin South constituency, until his retirement from politics at the 1989 general election. He served in the Government of Liam Cosgrave (1973–77) as Parliamentary Secretary to the Taoiseach and while keeping that post also served as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence until May 1977, at which point he became Attorney General, succeeding Declan Costello upon the latter's appointment to the High Court.

He served in the first Cabinet under Garret FitzGerald from 1981 until 1982. He was named as minister in the Department of Industry, Commerce and Tourism, before assuming the new post of Minister for Trade, Commerce and Tourism, which FitzGerald created specially through the division of the old Industry and Commerce into the Department of Trade, Commerce, and Tourism and the Department of Industry and Energy.[3]

Kelly was also appointed acting Minister for Foreign Affairs. FitzGerald planned to make colleague Senator James Dooge a cabinet minister, but he could not be appointed to cabinet until he had been appointed to the Seanad and that could not happen for some months because appointments can only take place after the general election for the Seanad have been held. Dooge finally assumed office in October 1981. As a result Kelly found himself throughout the period shifting departments, briefs and titles.

Kelly declined appointment to FitzGerald's second administration (1982–1987). Kelly felt that Irish politics should be aligned more on European ideological lines and he promoted closer alignment with Fianna Fáil and the end of coalition with the Labour Party. He did not seek re-election to the Dáil at the 1989 general election.

Personal life

Kelly's son Nick was lead singer and songwriter with Irish rock band The Fat Lady Sings.

Publications

Fiction:

Non-Fiction:

Honours, awards and memorials

John M. Kelly Memorial Lecture

Since 1994, University College Dublin has hosted an annual John M. Kelly Memorial Lecture on law, with international legal experts asked to deliver papers. The lectures to date include:

  1. (November 1994) Savigny in the Strand – the Rt. Hon, the Lord Rodger of Earlsferry QC
  2. (16 November 1995) Harassment and Hubris: The Right to an Equality of Respect – Prof. Peter Birks, Regius Professor of Civil Law at the University of Oxford
  3. (14 November 1996) A Sense of Proportionality – the Rt. Hon, the Lord Leonard Hoffman
  4. (October 1997) Towards a Supreme Court? The British Experience – Michael Beloff, QC and President of Trinity College Oxford
  5. (November 1998)
  6. (October 1999) Stands Scotland where she did? New Unions for Old in these Islands – Prof Neil MacCormick
  7. (November 2000)
  8. (1 November 2001) Corrective and Distributive Justice in Tort Law – the Rt. Hon, the Lord Steyn
  9. (15 November 2002) Scholarship, Reputation of Scholarship, and Legacy: Provocative Reflections from a Comparatist’s Point of View – Prof. Basil Markesinis QC
  10. (5 November 2003) Liability for Non-Conformity: The new system of remedies in German sales' law and its historical context – Prof. Reinhard Zimmermann
  11. (21 January 2005) Law Maker or Law Reformer – what is a Law Lady for? – the Rt. Hon, the Baroness Brenda Hale of Richmond
  12. (7 October 2010) Should Strict Criminal Liability be Removed from all Imprisonable Offences? – Professor Andrew Ashworth, the Vinerian Professor of English Law at the University of Oxford

The Irish Jurist Memorial Issue

Volumes XXV-XXVII of The Irish Jurist (ISBN 1-85800-043-2), covering the years 1990–1992, were published in memory of John Kelly.

References

  1. ↑ "Professor John M. Kelly". Oireachtas Members Database. Retrieved 3 December 2012.
  2. ↑ "John M. Kelly". ElectionsIreland.org. Retrieved 3 December 2012.
  3. ↑ The restructuring of the departments could not legally take place, however, until the Ministers and Secretaries Act 1924, which defined the names and responsibilities of departments, was amended; this happened in August 1981 by ministerial order under the Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act, 1939.
Political offices
Preceded by
David Andrews		 Government Chief Whip
1973–1977 		Succeeded by
Patrick Lalor
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence
1973–1977
Preceded by
Oliver J. Flanagan		 Parliamentary Secretary to Minister for Defence
1976–1977
Preceded by
Brian Lenihan		 Minister for Foreign Affairs
(Acting)
June–October 1981 		Succeeded by
James Dooge
Preceded by
Desmond O'Malley		 Minister for Industry, Commerce and Tourism
June–August 1981 		Office abolished
New office Minister for Trade, Commerce and Tourism
1981–1982 		Succeeded by
Desmond O'Malley
Legal offices
Preceded by
Declan Costello		 Attorney General of Ireland
May–July 1977 		Succeeded by
Anthony J. Hederman