Conor Lenihan
Conor Lenihan
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| Conor Lenihan | |
|---|---|
 Lenihan (2nd from right) | |
| Minister of State for Science, Technology, Innovation and Natural Resources | |
In office 22 April 2009 – 9 March 2011 | |
| Taoiseach | Brian Cowen |
| Preceded by | New office |
| Succeeded by | Office abolished |
| Minister of State for Integration Policy | |
In office 20 June 2007 – 21 April 2009 | |
| Taoiseach | Bertie Ahern Brian Cowen |
| Preceded by | New office |
| Succeeded by | Office abolished |
| Minister of State for Overseas Development and Human Rights | |
In office 29 September 2004 – 20 June 2007 | |
| Taoiseach | Bertie Ahern |
| Preceded by | New office |
| Succeeded by | Office abolished |
| Teachta Dála | |
In office June 1997 – February 2011 | |
| Constituency | Dublin South-West |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1963-03-03) 3 March 1963 Dublin, Ireland |
| Nationality | Irish |
| Political party | Fianna Fáil |
| Spouse(s) | Denise Lenihan (m. 1999) |
| Children | 2 |
| Residence | Moscow, Russia |
| Alma mater |
|
Conor Lenihan (born 3 March 1963) is a former Irish Fianna Fáil politician who served as Minister of State for Science, Technology, Innovation and Natural Resources from 2009 to 2011,
Minister of State for Integration Policy from 2007 to 2009 and Minister of State for Overseas Development and Human Rights from 2004 to 2007. He served as a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Dublin South-West constituency from 1997 to 2011.
He is currently a Vice President of the Skolkovo Foundation.[1] He accepted a position with the Skolkovo Foundation in 2011, a planned high-tech innovation centre in Moscow, where he works on international partnership development.
Contents
1 Early and personal life
2 Political career
2.1 Controversies
2.1.1 Attitude to immigrants
2.1.2 The Origin of Specious Nonsense
2.1.3 Tonight with Vincent Browne
3 Post political career
4 References
Early and personal life[edit]
Lenihan was born in Dublin in 1963. He lived in Athlone until he was 11 years of age. He was educated at Belvedere College, University College Dublin (where he was chair of the Kevin Barry Cumann of Ógra Fianna Fáil), Dublin City University and the INSEAD.
Lenihan began his working life as a newspaper journalist working in the 1980s in the House of Commons in London, where he was a political correspondent for the Irish News. While in London he was also a member of the European Commission's Speakers Panel.
In the 1990s he went into broadcast journalism working with the Dublin radio station 98FM. Lenihan also worked as a senior executive with O2, an Irish-owned mobile operator, and subsequently worked as an advisor for the company.
Lenihan is the son of former Tánaiste, TD and Minister Brian Lenihan. His grandfather, Patrick Lenihan, also served in the Oireachtas. His aunt, Mary O'Rourke, is a former TD, Senator and Minister, while his brother, Brian Lenihan Jnr was a TD and most notably Minister for Finance during the Irish economic downturn from 2008 to 2011.
Lenihan was diagnosed with a benign tumour in 2007.[2]
Lenihan was also the editor of The Nation, the official publication of the Fianna Fáil party.
Political career[edit]
Lenihan was first elected to Dáil Éireann at the 1997 general election.[3]
In Bertie Ahern's cabinet reshuffle of 2004, he was appointed as Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs with special responsibility for Overseas Development and Human Rights. Lenihan restructured Ireland's international aid programme, creating Irish Aid, the Irish Government's programme of assistance to developing countries. Through Irish Aid, Lenihan administered a budget of almost a billion euros which is used to help developing nations thus continuing Ireland's tradition of reaching out to other post-colonial nations.
In 2007, he became Ireland's first Minister of State for Integration and led a government initiative to deal with large volume immigration into Ireland which culminated with the publication of a new policy statement "Migration Nation.[4]
As Minister for Science, Technology and Innovation, he created a single budget line for science and technology funding as well as participating in the country's Innovation Task Force. As part of his role in the Ministry he participated in trade and investment missions, frequently presenting to top global companies who already invest in Ireland or were about to do so. He was a member of the Cabinet Sub-Committee on Economic Recovery.
He lost his seat at the 2011 general election, with his first preference vote declining from 20.5% in 2007 to just 5%. He placed eight in the poll and was eliminated on the fourth count.[5]
Controversies[edit]
Attitude to immigrants[edit]
Lenihan was involved in some controversy on 18 May 2005, when off-microphone he told opposition TD Joe Higgins of the Socialist Party that he should "stick to [helping] the kebabs",[6] a reference to the Turkish workers who were making a legal challenge against their employer, GAMA. Lenihan apologised in the Dáil for the remarks.[7]
In 2007, he banned Gardaí and Garda reserves from wearing the Sikh turban, saying "if we are to take integration seriously, people who come here must understand our way of doing things. When the President and Ministers travel to the Middle East, they accept cultural requirements of the country and the culture in which they are operating. It is a vice-versa situation with regard to Ireland".[8]
The Origin of Specious Nonsense[edit]
In September 2010, Lenihan attracted controversy when it emerged that he was to attend the launch of The Origin of Specious Nonsense, an anti-evolution book by John J. May. PZ Myers, on his Pharyngula blog, expressed shock that a Minister of State with special responsibility for Science would lend support to such a book.[9] Lenihan claimed that he was "not launching the book as Minister for Science but rather as a TD because May is a constituent of his".[10] In the wake of this controversy, May asked Lenihan not to launch the book "because I am so embarrassed that the Minister for Science has been so insulted" and "eviscerated" on a political website.[11]
Tonight with Vincent Browne[edit]
While appearing in March 2011 on Tonight with Vincent Browne on television, presenter Vincent Browne asked if there was “a happy coincidence” between matters of national importance and what Lenihan was personally interested in, leading to what The Irish Times described as “some on-air rage”.[12]
Post political career[edit]
In July 2011, Lenihan joined Skolkovo Foundation, a planned scientific and innovation center outside Moscow, Russia.[13] In August 2012, Lenihan joined the board of San Leon Energy, an oil and gas explorer with concessions in Poland, Albania, Morocco and Ireland.[14]
References[edit]
^ "Mr. Conor Lenihan". Oireachtas Members Database. Retrieved 8 May 2009..mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit}.mw-parser-output q{quotes:"""""""'""'"}.mw-parser-output code.cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:inherit;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/65/Lock-green.svg/9px-Lock-green.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-gray-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-red-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration{color:#555}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription span,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration span{border-bottom:1px dotted;cursor:help}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration,.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-right{padding-right:0.2em}
^ "Irish minister in TV tumour spot". BBC News. 31 January 2007. Retrieved 8 May 2009.
^ "Conor Lenihan". ElectionsIreland.org. Retrieved 8 May 2009.
^ "Minister for Integration, launches 'Migration Nation' a Statement on Integration Strategy and Diversity Management". AN ROINN DLÍ AGUS CIRT AGUS COMHIONANNAIS DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE AND EQUALITY. Department of Justice and Equality. May 1, 2008. Retrieved April 19, 2016.
^ "Dublin South-West". RTÉ News. 28 February 2011. Archived from the original on 27 January 2012.
^ "FF leader Martin in Chinese gaffe". The Irish Times. 12 February 2011. Retrieved 22 February 2011.
^ "Higgins reacts to Lenihan 'kebabs' remark". RTÉ News. 18 May 2005. Archived from the original on 15 February 2015. Retrieved 19 June 2009.
^ "Granting special status doesn't help integration". Sunday Independent. 19 August 2007. Retrieved 2 July 2009.
^ "How about the Irish Minister of State with special responsibility for pseudoscience?". ScienceBlogs. Archived from the original on 16 September 2010. Retrieved 13 September 2010.
^ "Lenihan to launch anti-evolution book". The Irish Times. 13 September 2010. Retrieved 13 September 2010.
^ "Minister withdraws from launch of anti-evolution book". The Irish Times. 14 September 2010. Retrieved 14 September 2010.
^ Heaney, Mick (31 March 2011). "A new heavyweight in light entertainment". The Irish Times. Retrieved 31 March 2011.
^ Smyth, Sam (20 August 2011). "Crisis for Martin as Lenihans opt out of election". Irish Independent.
^ "Lenihan carves out new role as he joins board of Polish energy business". Irish Independent. 19 August 2012.
Oireachtas | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Eamonn Walsh (Labour Party) | Fianna Fáil Teachta Dála for Dublin South-West 1997–2011 | Succeeded by Seán Crowe (Sinn Féin) |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by Tom Kitt | Minister of State for Overseas Development and Human Rights 2004–2007 | Succeeded by Michael Kitt |
| Preceded by New office | Minister of State for Integration Policy 2007–2009 | Succeeded by John Curran |
| Preceded by New office | Minister of State for Science, Technology, Innovation and Natural Resources 2009–2011 | Office abolished |
Categories:
- 1963 births
- Living people
- Alumni of Dublin City University
- Alumni of University College Dublin
- Fianna Fáil TDs
- Lenihan family
- Members of the 28th Dáil
- Members of the 29th Dáil
- Members of the 30th Dáil
- Ministers of State of the 29th Dáil
- Ministers of State of the 30th Dáil
- People educated at Belvedere College
- People from Athlone
- Politicians from County Dublin
- Politicians from County Westmeath
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