Máire Whelan
| Máire Whelan SC | |
|---|---|
| Attorney General of Ireland | |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 9 March 2011 | |
| Preceded by | Paul Gallagher |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Kinvara, County Galway |
| Nationality | Irish |
| Political party | Labour Party |
| Spouse(s) | Bernard McCabe |
| Children | 1 |
| Alma mater | University College Galway, University of London |
Máire R. Whelan SC (born c. 1962) is an Irish barrister and senior counsel who was appointed to the post of Attorney General on 9 March 2011 by President Mary McAleese on the nomination of the Taoiseach, Enda Kenny.[1] She is the first woman to hold this position in Ireland.[2]
Whelan studied politics and sociology at University College Galway, before switching to law,[2] and gained a Masters Degree from the University of London.[3] She was called to the bar in 1985, and was appointed as senior counsel in 2005.[3] She is a co-author of National Asset Management Agency (NAMA) Act 2009: A Reference Guide.[4] She has served as financial secretary of the Labour Party, which is the junior member of the 2011 coalition government formed with Fine Gael.[5] Her appointment as Attorney General caused some surprise amongst lawyers because she had a relatively low profile, owing to practising in areas of law where many cases are heard in camera.[6]
Whelan, from Kinvara, County Galway, is married to barrister Bernard McCabe. They have one child and live in Dublin.[2][4]
References
- ↑ "As It Happened - First day of 31st Dáil". RTÉ News. 9 March 2011. Retrieved 10 March 2011.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Cullen, Paul (10 March 2011). "First female Attorney General a 'smart and able advocate'". Irish Times. Retrieved 10 March 2011.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Barrister's database". Bar Council of Ireland. Retrieved 9 March 2011.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 McDonald, Dearbhail (10 March 2011). "Top lawyers welcome appointment of first ever female AG". Irish Independent. Retrieved 10 March 2011.
- ↑ Collins, Stephen; McGee, Harry (8 March 2011). "Labour set for AG role as Fine Gael takes 10 ministries". Irish Times. Retrieved 10 March 2011.
- ↑ McDonald, Dearbhail (11 March 2011). "Whelan gets AG job over stellar FG law line-up". The Irish Independent. Retrieved 22 March 2011.
Works
- Whelan, Máire R.; Kennedy, Mark; O Raghallaigh, Feargus (4 March 2011). National Asset Management Agency (NAMA) Act 2009: A Reference Guide. Dublin: Gill & Macmillan. ISBN 978-0-7171-4840-0.
| Legal offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Paul Gallagher |
Attorney General of Ireland 2011–present |
Incumbent |