Mary Harney

Mary Harney (born March 11, 1953) is an Irish Progressive Democrats politician. First elected in 1981, she is currently a Teachta D?la for Dublin Mid West and Minister for Health & Children Harmey has served as T?naiste since 1997 and leader of the Progressive Democrats since 1993. She has previously served as Minister for Enterprise, Trade & Employment (1997-2004) and has also served in Seanad ?ireann (1977-1981).

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Mary Harney was born in Ballinasloe, County Galway. Her parents were both farmers but her family moved to Newcastle, County Dublin shortly after her birth. She was educated in Clondalkin, Inchicore and Trinity College, Dublin. During her time at university she made history by becoming the first female auditor of the Historical Society. In 1976 she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Modern Studies and for a brief time was a secondary school teacher at Castleknock College. It wasn't long before her name was mentioned in political circles and in 1977 she stood for election to the D?il as a Fianna F?il candidate. She was unsuccessful; however, she was appointed to Seanad ?ireann by Taoiseach Jack Lynch, becoming, at 24, the youngest Senator in Irish history.

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In 1981 she contested the election again and was successful in the constituency of Dublin West. She has retained her seat at every election since then. Like many others Harney faced a number of problems from Charles Haughey as leader of Fianna F?il. She was expelled from the Fianna F?il Party after defying the party whip by voting in favour of the Anglo-Irish Agreement in 1985. She went on the become a founder-member of the Progressive Democrats with Desmond O'Malley later that year. The new political party put the economic recovery of the country at the top of their political priorities.

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In 1989 the Progressive Democrats entered into coalition government with Charles Haughey's Fianna F?il. Harney was appointed Minister of State with responsibility for Environmental Protection. As Minister of State she banned the sale of bituminous coal in Dublin, thus eliminating the city's famous smog. In October 1993 she became the first woman to lead a political party when she succeeded Desmond O'Malley as leader of the Progressive Democrats.

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In June 1997 following lengthy negotiations the Progressive Democrats entered into coalition government with Fianna F?il. Harney was appointed the first female T?naiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade & Employment. In November 2001 Harney married Brian Geoghegan, a business leader, in a low-key afternoon ceremony in Dublin on a day in which she attended to a number of other significant political meetings.

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Following the 2002 general election Harney lead the Progressive Democrats, who had doubled their seats from four to eight, back into coalition with Fianna F?il, the first time a government was re-elected since 1969. She was re-appointed T?naiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade & Employment but was reported in 2003 as seeking a change. In the September 29 2004 reshuffle, she was appointed Minister for Health & Children.

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March 11: 11 March is the 70th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (71st in Leap year). There are 295 days remaining....

1953: 1953 is a common year starting on Thursday....

Progressive Democrats: The Progressive Democrats (in Irish An Páirtí Daonlathach, literal back-translation: The Democratic Party) is a free market liberal party in the Republic of Ireland founded in 1985. It is a member of the European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party (ELDR), which is a constituent part of ...

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