Noel Davern
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Michael Christopher Noel Davern (Irish: Nollaig Ó Dobharáin; born 24 December 1945) is a former Irish Fianna Fáil politician. He was Teachta Dála (TD) for Tipperary South from 1969 to 1981 and from 1987 until he retired from politics at the 2007 general election. He was a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) from 1979 to 1984, and served as Minister for Education from 1991 to 1992.
[edit] Career
Davern was born in Cashel, County Tipperary and educated at CBS Cashel and at Franciscan College in County Meath. His family had a long political tradition. His father Michael was a Fianna Fáil TD from 1948 to 1965, when he was succeeded in Dáil Éireann by Noel's brother Don. After Don's sudden death in 1968, the seat remained vacant until Noel was elected to Dáil Éireann at the 1969 general election.
At the 1979 European Parliament elections he was elected as Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for the Munster constituency. He did not contest the 1981 general election so as to concentrate on his European career. However, he lost his seat in the European Parliament at the 1984 European election.
Davern was again elected to Dáil Éireann in the 1987 election, and came to national prominence in 1991 when he was appointed to the Cabinet as Minister for Education. This was in the wake of Albert Reynolds' and Pádraig Flynn's failed attempt to oust Charles Haughey as Taoiseach. Davern's stay in the Cabinet was short-lived because Reynolds became Taoiseach in early 1992 and he was again sent to the backbenches. In 1995 he became Opposition Spokesman on European Affairs when Bertie Ahern named his new front bench. Fianna Fáil were returned to government and Davern became Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture & Food. He served in that position until 2002.
Davern was one of only three Members of the 29th Dáil who had first been elected in the 1960s, the others being Séamus Pattison, elected in the 1961 general election and Michael Smith, also elected in the 1969 general election.
[edit] References
This page incorporates information from the Oireachtas Members Database
[edit] See also
| Political offices | ||
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| Preceded by Mary O'Rourke |
Minister for Education 1991–1992 |
Succeeded by Séamus Brennan |
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