Damien English (born 21 February 1978) is an Irish former Fine Gael politician who served as a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Meath West constituency from 2007 to 2024, and previously from 2002 to 2007 for the Meath constituency. He served as Minister of State from 2014 to 2023.[1]
Damien English | |
|---|---|
 English in 2015 | |
| Minister of State | |
| 2020–2023 | Enterprise, Trade and Employment |
| 2020–2023 | Social Protection |
| 2017–2020 | Housing, Planning and Local Government |
| 2016–2017 | Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government |
| 2014–2016 | Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation |
| 2014–2016 | Education and Skills |
| Teachta Dála | |
| In office May 2007 – November 2024 | |
| Constituency | Meath West |
| In office May 2002 – May 2007 | |
| Constituency | Meath |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 21 February 1978 Drogheda, County Louth, Ireland |
| Political party | Fine Gael |
| Spouse |
Laura Kenny (m. 2007) |
| Children | 4 |
| Alma mater | |
| Website | damienenglish |
Early and personal life
editEnglish was educated at Bohermeen National School in County Meath, and went on to attend Kells Community School. He further studied and part qualified with the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants at the Dublin Institute of Technology and Dublin Business School. He is married to Laura, and they have one son and three daughters.
Political career
editEnglish first entered politics when he was elected to Meath County Council in 1999, for the local electoral area of Navan, where he was the youngest council member.
At the 2002 general election, he was elected to the 29th Dáil as a Fine Gael TD for the Meath constituency, along with his Fine Gael colleague John Bruton.[2] He was the youngest TD in the 29th Dáil, aged 24 years.
English was elected secretary of the Fine Gael parliamentary party in September 2002, and became the party deputy Spokesperson for Arts, Sports and Tourism. In October 2004, he was appointed deputy Spokesperson for Justice and Community Affairs, with special responsibility for Drugs, Alcohol and Crime Prevention. He was a member of the British–Irish Parliamentary Assembly from 2002 to 2007. He served as deputy Spokesperson on Enterprise with special responsibility for Labour Affairs and Small Business from 2007 to 2010.
In January 2007, English was linked to a statement by fellow Fine Gael TD John Deasy, regarding Deasy's intention to run for the leadership of the party if Enda Kenny failed to bring the party into government following the 2007 general election. English dismissed these claims as being false.[3]
He was party deputy spokesperson for Finance, with special responsibility for Banking and Credit from October 2010 to March 2011.
On 15 July 2014, he was appointed as Minister of State at the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation and at the Department of Education and Skills with responsibility for Skills, Research and Innovation.[4]
He served as Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government with responsibility for Housing and Urban Renewal from May 2016 to June 2017. He served as Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government with responsibility for Housing and Urban Development from June 2017 to June 2020.[5]
In July 2020, he was appointed Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment with responsibility for Employment Affairs and Retail Businesses and Minister of State at the Department of Social Protection with responsibility for Redundancy and Insolvency Operations and Employer Services.[6][7]
On 18 September 2024, English announced that he would not contest the next general election.[8]
Ministerial resignation
editIn January 2023, news website The Ditch published a story claiming English failed to declare ownership of an existing home in his planning application for a new property in 2008. It also claimed he neglected to declare such ownership in the Dáil register of interests.[9][10] He resigned as Minister of State on 12 January 2023.[11][12]
References
edit- ^ "Damien English". Oireachtas Members Database. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 13 May 2009.
- ^ "Damien English". ElectionsIreland.org. Archived from the original on 11 September 2018. Retrieved 13 May 2009.
- ^ "Calls for election focus within Fine Gael". RTÉ News. 5 January 2007. Archived from the original on 18 October 2012. Retrieved 5 January 2007.
- ^ "Simon Harris among new Ministers of State". RTÉ News. 15 July 2014. Archived from the original on 20 July 2014. Retrieved 5 August 2014.
- ^ "Revealed: These are the Junior Ministers of the 32nd Dáil - Independent.ie". Archived from the original on 19 May 2016. Retrieved 28 August 2016.
- ^ "Appointment of Ministers of State" (PDF). Iris Oifigiúil. 2020 (57): 820–821. 17 June 2020. Archived (PDF) from the original on 15 November 2021. Retrieved 11 August 2022.
- ^ Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Delegation of Ministerial Functions) Order 2020 (S.I. No. 579 of 2020). Signed on 1 December 2020. Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 9 December 2020.; Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Delegation of Ministerial Functions) Order 2021 (S.I. No. 71 of 2021). Signed on 19 January 2021. Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 17 March 2021.
- ^ "English announces he will not contest next election". RTÉ News. 18 September 2024. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
- ^ "FG minister lied on successful planning application". The Ditch. 11 January 2023.
- ^ "Fine Gael minister Damien English says he complied with Sipo rules over ownership of residential property". independent. 12 January 2023.
- ^ Lehane, Mícheál (12 January 2023). "Damien English resigns over 2008 planning application". RTÉ.ie.
- ^ O'Connell, Hugh (12 January 2023). "Fine Gael minister Damien English sends letter of resignation to Taoiseach Leo Varadkar over planning application". Irish Independent. Retrieved 12 January 2023.