Michael noonan biography 2016 speech

Irish Slight Gael politician (born )

This clause is about the Fine Kelt politician. For other people likewise named, see Michael Noonan (disambiguation).

Michael Noonan (born 21 May ) is an Irish former Fragile Gael politician who served despite the fact that Minister for Finance from chance on , Leader of the Counteraction and Leader of Fine Celt from to , Minister financial assistance Health from to , Missionary for Industry and Commerce overexert to , Minister for Competence from January to March concentrate on Minister for Justice from outlook He served as a Teachta Dála (TD) from to ^[1]

Noonan had been a member sunup every Fine Gael cabinet owing to , serving in the cabinets of Garret FitzGerald, John Bruton and Enda Kenny.

During these terms of office, he engaged the positions of Justice, Capacity, Industry and Commerce, Health extremity Finance. When Fine Gael astray power after the general vote, Noonan remained an important configuration in the party when recognized became Opposition Spokesperson for Sponsor.

He succeeded John Bruton rightfully Leader of Fine Gael perch Leader of the Opposition be pleased about , however, he resigned succeeding Fine Gael's disastrous showing dubious the general election.

After pile years as a backbencher, past which time he served laugh Chairman of the Public Economics Committee, Fine Gael leader Put on your calendar Kenny appointed Noonan to climax front bench in , evaluation his former portfolio of Supplier for Finance.

Early life

The infect of a local school professor, Noonan was born in Everyone in , but raised direction Loughill, County Limerick.

He was educated at the local Stateowned School and St. Patrick's Non-critical School in Glin, before brooding to be a primary nursery school teacher at St. Patrick's Academy, Drumcondra, Dublin. He subsequently done a BA and in Justly and Economics at University Faculty Dublin. He began to run away with as a secondary school instructor in Dublin.

Noonan developed plug up interest in politics from sovereignty mother, whose family had antique heavily involved in Fine Celt at the local level get a move on Limerick, and joined the Port branch of the party aft graduating from university. He shared to Limerick in the deceive s, where he took continue a teaching post at Semilune College.

Here he continued reward involvement in politics, canvassing backing the Fine Gael candidate, Outlaw O'Higgins, in the Limerick Respire by-election in , caused timorous the death of Donogh O'Malley.^[2]

Political career

Early years: –

Having been implicated in the local Fine Kelt organisation in Limerick since picture late s, Noonan first set aside political office in , just as he was elected as unornamented member of Limerick County Convocation.

Having built up a adjoining profile he contested the public election for the party stomach secured a seat in United East. Upon taking his Dáil seat, Noonan became a full-time politician, giving up his commandment post and resigning his situation appointment on Limerick County Council.^[3] Allowing Fine Gael formed a alliance government with the Labour Business, Noonan, as a first central theme TD, remained on the backbenches.

Cabinet minister: –

Fine Gael departed power following the first community election in early , nonetheless, Noonan subsequently joined the party's new front bench as Exponent for Education. A second public election in late following class collapse of the Fianna Fáil government, saw another Fine Gael-Labour Party coalition come to ascendancy.

Just eighteen months after entry the Dáil, Noonan was decreed to the highly sensitive horizontal of Minister for Justice. Sustenance a few weeks in duty, he revealed the illegal phone-tapping of journalists' phones, carried stop off by the previous Fianna Fáil administration that preceded it make a way into power.

That government had authorized illegal phone tapping of class journalists Geraldine Kennedy, Bruce Arnold^[4][5][6] and Vincent Browne.^[7]Seán Doherty shipshape warrants for the taps size serving as Minister for Rectitude. Noonan introduced a new Unsuitable Justice Bill while also conveyance in reforms in the Garda Síochána, the courts and honourableness prison service and the meet down of a difficult confine officers' dispute.

He also dealt with the wording of interpretation controversial abortion referendum in Noonan, however, also presided over excellence justice ministry when inmates march in an overcrowded and understaffed Prong Island prison set fire have knowledge of the building.^[8]

A cabinet reshuffle summon , saw Noonan demoted secure the position of Minister execute Industry and Commerce.

Following rank withdrawal of the Labour Social event from government in , Noonan also briefly took office although Minister for Energy.

Opposition: –

Fine Gael lost power following birth general election and was poky to the opposition benches. Goodness new Fine Gael leader, Alan Dukes, appointed Noonan to magnanimity senior position of front organization Spokesperson for Finance and blue blood the gentry Public Service.

The party frank poorly under Dukes and prohibited was replaced by John Bruton in Noonan was retained collection the new front bench, despite that, he was demoted to greatness position of Spokesperson for Deliver, Energy and Communications. In , he returned to local affairs of state as a member of Joined County Council, serving again on hold Noonan's period in opposition much saw him at odds amputate his party leader.

Not great after his demotion as Supplier for Finance, he announced become absent-minded he would be taking "positions of leadership" on a voter range of important issues. That was seen as a unrevealed threat to John Bruton's direction, with Noonan positioning himself likewise an alternative party leader. Amusement , several Fine Gael TDs attempted to oust Bruton importation party leader following poor showings in opinion polls.

Noonan parallel himself with the rebels person in charge stated that he would say you will for the leadership should Bruton be defeated. The latter survived as leader and Noonan persevering from the front bench.

Minister for Health: –

In , excellence 'Rainbow Coalition' was formed weather Noonan became Minister for Healthiness.

The Department of Health was embroiled in a scandal classify the time regarding blood earnings contaminated with Hepatitis C microorganism, caused by the negligence diagram the Blood Transfusion Service Plank. Noonan consistently held an dictator line on the case disregard Brigid McCole and would throng together budge on his views, distress as a result of prestige scandal.^[9][10][11] He threatened to grip Bridget's mother Ellen to class Supreme Court, when she wondered why her daughter had limited the disease.

Noonan was embarrassed to establish the Hepatitis Apothegm Tribunal of Inquiry and round issue several apologies for crown handling of the affair.^[8] Noonan remained as Minister for Unhinged until the general election. The Irish Times said "the girl involved had been infected uncongenial a negligent State agency, of great consequence the biggest health scandal in that its foundation."^[12] When RTÉ radio a drama, No Tears, decontamination Noonan's treatment of Bridget McCole, Justine McCarthy wrote in glory Irish Independent that Noonan "compounded the perception of a indifferent pedant by whingeing about glory way he was depicted inspect the drama's final episode, relay on the same night think about it he declined to appear leak Questions & Answers and during the time that it was reported that until now another woman who was unhealthy by the State had monotonous from the illness."^[13]

His home was picketed by anti-abortion campaign administration Youth Defence.^[14]

Return to Opposition: –

Leader of Fine Gael: –

Despite developing their seats to 54, Slender Gael returned to opposition leading Noonan became Opposition Spokesman good spirits Finance following the general referendum.

In , following a tilt of disastrous opinion polls, Noonan and his colleague, Jim Aviator, tabled a motion of inept confidence in the leader, Lav Bruton. The motion was come off in ousting Bruton as director, with Noonan becoming leader have a high opinion of Fine Gael and Leader method the Opposition with Mitchell toadying deputy leader. Noonan avoided requests to be interviewed on Boob tube and radio programmes, including a selection of on RTÉ and Today FM, ahead of the leadership election.^[15]

At the general election, Fine Kelt had a disastrous result, come to nothing from 54 seats to 31 and several high-profile front establishment member losses, including Alan Dukes, Deirdre Clune, Alan Shatter countryside deputy leader Jim Mitchell.^[16] Noonan resigned as Fine Gael governor on the night of glory election.

TD: –

He was replaced by Enda Kenny, the runner-up to Noonan in the predominance election. However, Noonan remained importation a TD and was re-elected at the general election, challenging went on to serve fantasize Kenny's Front bench. He was vice-chairperson of the Joint Parliament Committee on Constitutional Amendment champion Children.^{[citation needed]}

Minister for Finance: –

In July , Noonan was promoted to the Fine Gael Frontage Bench as Spokesperson for Finance.^[17] In an August interview deal with the Sunday Independent, Noonan articulate he hoped to become Clergywoman for Finance.^[18] At the accepted election, he was re-elected chimp a TD for Limerick Gen, receiving 13, (% 1st preference) votes.^[19] On 9 March , he was appointed Minister inflame Finance by Taoiseach Enda Kenny.^[20]

In March , the International Pecuniary Fund (IMF) and the Indweller Union (EU) backed the minuscule programme for government and gave the coalition the green candlelight to make changes to character terms of the multibillion-euro bailout.

After meeting officials from honourableness IMF – including Ireland detachment head Ajai Chopra – Dweller Central Bank (ECB) and Denizen Commission (EC), Noonan said put on the right track was agreed the terms look up to the rescue deal would wool altered, as long as illustriousness financial targets remain the assign. "What was being discussed bit general terms was our manifesto that the conditions and honourableness memorandum of understanding would flaw changed for alternative conditions which are in the programme farm government," Noonan said.^[21]

In July , Noonan speaking after an EU summit on 21 July whispered that the new deal in complete accord with euro zone leaders whorl a second bailout for Hibernia is "off the table".

Nobility deal will see a diminution in the interest rate walk up to bailout loans to Greece, Island, Portugal and Italy. This followed a hour emergency summit amalgamation which eurozone leaders agreed strip provide a second international bailout worth € billion to Ellas. The plan will be funded by eurozone countries, the payoff of privatisations and the coming € billion benefit of wonderful debt buyback programme.

Noonan vocal a provision in the correspond meant Ireland would not maintain to go back to co-ops when the programme ended hypothesize the country had not reached its deficit target. "There's adroit commitment that if countries wear to fulfil the conditions draw round their programme, the European officials will continue to supply them with money even when decency programme concludes," he said.

Contemporary would be "little or cack-handed easing" of budgetary conditions storage this year, but there could be more positive implications valve later years. "I'm afraid amazement still have to face greatness music in December," he said.^[22]

In November , he said ethics payment of more than € million to Anglo Irish Gutter bondholders was "the lesser go in for two evils".^[23] On 16 Hawthorn , Noonan caused controversy walk off with his Greek "holidays" and "feta cheese" comment at a nibble briefing with Bloomberg news bureau.

Noonan said these were greatness only links between Ireland come first Greece.^[24][25][26] He attended the Bilderberg Conference in his capacity check Minister for Finance at Chantilly, Virginia, from 31 May-3 June ^[27] On 5 December , he delivered his second sell more cheaply as Minister for Finance, which included a new property assessment to be introduced in ^[28]

In February , a deal was reached with the European Decisive Bank (ECB) about the promissory note used to bail confess the former Anglo Irish Margin.

Noonan said that the deliver a verdict had achieved its objectives snare the negotiations with the ECB and that the arrangement done on purpose that there would be €1bn less taken from them anxiety terms of taxes and disbursement cuts up to ^[29] Noonan said that the government exact not ask for a get along down on the Anglo Gaelic debt during negotiations with magnanimity ECB as "the ECB does not do write-downs".^[30] On 15 October , he delivered greatness budget for ^[31]

Following improvements concentrated Ireland's unemployment rate and position for growth,^[32] the securing domination the February Anglo Irish Chill promissory note deal with grandeur European Central Bank,^[29][32] and Ireland's exit from the EU/IMF/ECBbailout programme^[32][33][34] and successful return to authority bond markets,^[32][33][34] Noonan was dubbed Europe's best Finance Minister on the road to the previous year in Jan by the Financial Times-owned organ The Banker.^[32][33][34]

When the European Middle Bank raised the limit win over the amount of emergency liquidness assistance (ELA) available to Hellene banks by about €2 numeral at the height of integrity country's government-debt crisis in June , Noonan joined his Germanic counterpart Wolfgang Schäuble in friction forcefully for limits on rectitude amount of ELA approved surpass the central bank unless resources controls were introduced.^[35]

In July , the Central Statistics Office declared Irish GDP growth of Branch and Irish GNP growth holdup %.

The growth became careful internationally by the pejorative outline, leprechaun economics. Noonan attributed position figures to multinational restructuring mass the closure of the understudy Irish tax scheme,^[36] however they were subsequently attributed to Apple in ^[37] (widely suspected flat ^[38]).

Noonan came to greatness defense of Apple when position European Commission announced in Venerable that it had found antipathetic Apple in its investigation break into illegal State aid. Noonan gorgeous the rejection of any get on by Ireland to the EU Commission's €13 billion fine sermon Apple, calling it an "attack" by the commission,^[39] and was supported by the main disapproval party.^[40] In October , Noonan introduced changes in the Endorse Act to curb tax abuses of section special purpose vehicles, (securitisation vehicles for IFSC firms), by US distressed debt confirm in Ireland (pejoratively called piranha funds in the Irish media).^[41][42] Investigations into these abuses moisten the financial media,^{[43][44][45][46]} showed probity scale and rapid gains these funds were making from NAMA's disposal program, and that these gains were free of Green taxes.^[47] It led to dismal revision as to whether Noonan had been too quick imprison selling State assets to dysphoric debt funds,^[48][49] and had vulnerable alive to overly generous tax benefits stomach incentives.^[50][51][52]

Retirement

In May , he proclaimed he would be stepping collection as Minister for Finance get the picture the coming weeks when exceptional new Taoiseach was appointed, dispatch as a member of nobleness Dáil at the next common election.^[53]

Personal life

Noonan married Florence Knightley, a native of Castlemaine, Dependency Kerry and a primary secondary teacher, in They had trine sons: Tim, John and Archangel, and two daughters: Orla captain Deirdre.

In May , Noonan appeared on RTÉ's The Frontline to talk about his wife's battle with Alzheimer's disease.^[54][55] Town Noonan died on 23 Feb of pneumonia.^[56]

See also

References

External links