Avril Doyle

Avril Doyle (née Belton; born 18 April 1949) is an Irish former Fine Gael politician who served as a Minister of State from 1986 to 1987 and from 1995 to 1997. She served as a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) from 1999 to 2004 and 2004 to 2009, a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Wexford constituency from 1982 to 1989 and 1992 to 1997 and a Senator for the Agricultural Panel from 1989 to 1992 and 1997 to 2002.[1]

Avril Doyle
Minister of State
1995–1997Taoiseach
1995–1997Finance
1995–1997Transport, Energy and Communications
1986–1987Finance
1986–1987Environment
Member of the European Parliament
In office
1 June 2004 – 1 June 2009
ConstituencyEast
In office
1 June 1999 – 1 June 2004
ConstituencyLeinster
Teachta Dála
In office
November 1992 – June 1997
In office
November 1982 – June 1989
ConstituencyWexford
Senator
In office
9 September 1997 – 12 June 2002
In office
12 October 1989 – 11 December 1992
ConstituencyAgricultural Panel
Personal details
Born
Avril Belton

(1949-04-18) 18 April 1949
Dublin, Ireland
Political partyFine Gael
Parent
RelativesPatrick Belton (grandfather)
EducationHoly Child Killiney
Alma materUniversity College Dublin

Early life

Doyle was born in Dublin in 1949; she was educated at Holy Child Killiney secondary school and at University College Dublin (UCD). Her father Richard Belton was a Senator and her grandfather Patrick Belton was a TD. She was born on the day The Republic of Ireland Act 1948 came into effect – which saw the inauguration of Ireland as a republic outside the British Commonwealth.

Political career

In 1974, aged 25, she was elected to Wexford County Council and to Wexford Corporation; she was Mayor of Wexford town from 1975 to 1976.[2] She was first elected to Dáil Éireann at the November 1982 general election as a Fine Gael TD for the Wexford constituency. In February 1986, she was appointed on the nomination of Garret FitzGerald as Minister of State at the Department of Finance with special responsibility for the Office of Public Works, and at the Department of the Environment with special responsibility for Environmental Protection.[3][4]

She lost her seat at the 1989 general election, serving as a member of Seanad Éireann from 1989 to 1992. She was re-elected to the Dáil at the 1992 general election. In January 1995, she was appointed on the nomination of John Bruton as Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach, at the Department of Finance and at the Department of Transport, Energy and Communications with responsibility for consumers of public services.[5] At the 1997 general election, she lost to party colleague Michael D'Arcy, and was again elected to the Seanad, serving from 1997 to 2002.

She was elected as an MEP at the 1999 election and re-elected at the 2004 election.[6]

Doyle made news during a debate in the European Parliament in June 2008 after the rejection of the Treaty of Lisbon by Irish voters. A group of British Eurosceptic MEPs wore green hats and T-shirts, encouraging the EU to respect the Irish 'no' vote. However, many Irish MEPs saw this as self-serving and felt that there would be no Eurosceptic support for Irish opinion had the treaty been accepted; and Doyle was both lauded and criticised for the following comment, which is a reference to the forceful occupation of Ireland by Britain; "How the history books could have been written differently, if respect for the Irish vote from some of our British colleagues was always there."[7]

On 7 January 2009, she announced that she would not seek re-election to the European Parliament at the 2009 election.[8]

On 21 June 2011, she announced her intention to seek the Fine Gael party nomination for the 2011 presidential election.[9] She withdrew from the nomination process in October 2011.[10]

See also

References
  1. "Avril Doyle". Oireachtas Members Database. Archived from the original on 8 November 2018. Retrieved 11 May 2009.
  2. Kenny, Shane; Keane, Fergal (1987). Irish Politics Now: 'This Week' Guide to the 25th Dáil. Dingle, Co. Kerry: Brandon/RTÉ. p. 221.
  3. "Ministerial Assignments and Titles: Announcement by Taoiseach – Dáil Éireann (24th Dáil) – Vol. 363 No. 12". Houses of the Oireachtas. 13 February 1986. Archived from the original on 28 October 2020. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  4. "Announcement by Taoiseach – Dáil Éireann (24th Dáil) – Vol. 363 No. 13". Houses of the Oireachtas. 18 February 1986. Archived from the original on 5 November 2019. Retrieved 23 November 2019.
  5. "Appointment of Ministers of State – Dáil Éireann (27th Dáil) – Vol. 448 No. 4". Houses of the Oireachtas. 1 February 1995. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
  6. "Avril Doyle". ElectionsIreland.org. Archived from the original on 21 October 2007. Retrieved 11 May 2009.
  7. Avril Doyle's comments in European Parliament. RTÉ News. June 2008.
  8. "Avril Doyle declines to contest European election". The Irish Times. 7 January 2007. Archived from the original on 22 September 2021. Retrieved 7 January 2009.
  9. "Higgins wins Labour presidential nomination". RTÉ News. 19 October 2011. Archived from the original on 20 June 2011. Retrieved 19 June 2011.
  10. "Doyle withdraws from FG Presidential race". RTÉ News. 19 October 2011. Archived from the original on 5 December 2013. Retrieved 20 March 2013.
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