Brian Crowley
Encyclopedia
Brian Crowley is an Irish
Fianna Fáil
politician and a Member of the European Parliament
(MEP) for the South constituency. He was co-president of the Union for Europe of the Nations
group in the European Parliament
in which Fianna Fáil
sat until it joined the ELDR
and, by extension, ALDE
. He is a wheelchair
user following an accident at sixteen years of age.
to the 20th Seanad Éireann. At the 1994 European Parliament election
he was elected to the European Parliament for the Munster constituency
. He has retained his seat at the three subsequent elections. He was a member of Ireland's Council of State
from 1997 to 2004.
He is a member of the European Parliament
's Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe
(ALDE) group in the European Parliament, which comprises 103 MEPs from 22 Member States. Crowley is a member of the European Parliament's Committee on Industry, Research and Energy
and the delegation for relations with the United States
. Crowley also serves as a substitute member of the Committee on Legal Affairs
.
His father, Flor Crowley
served as a Teachta Dála
(TD) for various Cork constituencies for most of the period between the 1965 general election
and the February 1982 election.
He stated in an interview with The Irish Times
on 29 September 2008 that he would like to run for President of Ireland
at the 2011 presidential election.
On 12 February 2009, the Committee on Legal Affairs
of the European Parliament
approved a report drafted by Brian Crowley to extend the copyright
term of music
recordings from 50 years to 95 years.
In June 2011, Crowley refused to release details of his expense and allowance claims as a member of the European Parliament.
Again in July 2011, Crowley declared to Fianna Fáil party colleagues, that he was available to run for the presidency, but had been advised by party colleague Fianna Fáil TD Willie O'Dea
not to seek his party's nomination. In the context of failure to be nominated for the presidential election by his party, Crowley withdrew his candidature for the nomination.
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party , more commonly known as Fianna Fáil is a centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland, founded on 23 March 1926. Fianna Fáil's name is traditionally translated into English as Soldiers of Destiny, although a more accurate rendition would be Warriors of Fál...
politician and a Member of the European Parliament
Member of the European Parliament
A Member of the European Parliament is a person who has been elected to the European Parliament. The name of MEPs differ in different languages, with terms such as europarliamentarian or eurodeputy being common in Romance language-speaking areas.When the European Parliament was first established,...
(MEP) for the South constituency. He was co-president of the Union for Europe of the Nations
Union for Europe of the Nations
Union for Europe of the Nations was a political group of the European Parliament between 1999 and 2009.-History:UEN was formed on 20 July 1999, supplanting the earlier Union for Europe. Its member parties Fianna Fáil and National Alliance were the driving forces behind the group, despite their...
group in the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
in which Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party , more commonly known as Fianna Fáil is a centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland, founded on 23 March 1926. Fianna Fáil's name is traditionally translated into English as Soldiers of Destiny, although a more accurate rendition would be Warriors of Fál...
sat until it joined the ELDR
European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party
The European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party is a European political party mainly active in the European Union, composed of 56 national-level liberal and liberal-democratic parties from across Europe...
and, by extension, ALDE
Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe
The Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe is a transnational alliance between two European political parties: the European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party and the European Democratic Party. It has political groups in the European Parliament, the EU Committee of the Regions, the...
. He is a wheelchair
Wheelchair
A wheelchair is a chair with wheels, designed to be a replacement for walking. The device comes in variations where it is propelled by motors or by the seated occupant turning the rear wheels by hand. Often there are handles behind the seat for someone else to do the pushing...
user following an accident at sixteen years of age.
Biography
Crowley was born in Dublin in 1964. He received a diploma in law in 1993 from University College Cork, and the following year he was nominated by the Taoiseach Albert ReynoldsAlbert Reynolds
Albert Reynolds , served as Taoiseach of Ireland, serving one term in office from 1992 until 1994. He has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize...
to the 20th Seanad Éireann. At the 1994 European Parliament election
European Parliament election, 1994 (Ireland)
The 1994 European Parliament election in Ireland was the Irish component of the 1994 European Parliament election. The election was conducted under the single transferable vote.-Results:-Voting details:-See also:...
he was elected to the European Parliament for the Munster constituency
Munster (European Parliament constituency)
-1999 election :All sitting MEPs were re-elected.-1994 election:The constituency lost a seat and T. J. Maher and Gene Fitzgerald retired...
. He has retained his seat at the three subsequent elections. He was a member of Ireland's Council of State
Council of State (Ireland)
The Council of State is a body established by the Constitution of Ireland to advise the President of Ireland in the exercise of many of his or her discretionary, reserve powers...
from 1997 to 2004.
He is a member of the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
's Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe
Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe
The Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe is a transnational alliance between two European political parties: the European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party and the European Democratic Party. It has political groups in the European Parliament, the EU Committee of the Regions, the...
(ALDE) group in the European Parliament, which comprises 103 MEPs from 22 Member States. Crowley is a member of the European Parliament's Committee on Industry, Research and Energy
Committee on Industry, Research and Energy
The Committee on Industry, Research and Energy is a committee of the European Parliament. Its areas of responsibility relate to industry, especially technology-intensive manufacturing, information technology, and telecommunications. It also coordinates European space policy, and as such, has ties...
and the delegation for relations with the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Crowley also serves as a substitute member of the Committee on Legal Affairs
Committee on Legal Affairs
The Committee on Legal Affairs is a committee of the European Parliament.It is preparing many crucial decisions of the European Parliament. It met on 20 and 21 June 2005 and debated and voted on the Directive on the patentability of computer-implemented inventions.-External links:*...
.
His father, Flor Crowley
Flor Crowley
Florence "Flor" Crowley was a Fianna Fáil politician from West Cork in Ireland. He was a Teachta Dála for thirteen years, and a senator for five years.- Family :...
served as a Teachta Dála
Teachta Dála
A Teachta Dála , usually abbreviated as TD in English, is a member of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas . It is the equivalent of terms such as "Member of Parliament" or "deputy" used in other states. The official translation of the term is "Deputy to the Dáil", though a more literal...
(TD) for various Cork constituencies for most of the period between the 1965 general election
Irish general election, 1965
The Irish general election of 1965 was held on 7 April 1965. The newly elected members of the 18th Dáil assembled at Leinster House on 21 April when the new Taoiseach and government were appointed....
and the February 1982 election.
He stated in an interview with The Irish Times
The Irish Times
The Irish Times is an Irish daily broadsheet newspaper launched on 29 March 1859. The editor is Kevin O'Sullivan who succeeded Geraldine Kennedy in 2011; the deputy editor is Paul O'Neill. The Irish Times is considered to be Ireland's newspaper of record, and is published every day except Sundays...
on 29 September 2008 that he would like to run for President of Ireland
President of Ireland
The President of Ireland is the head of state of Ireland. The President is usually directly elected by the people for seven years, and can be elected for a maximum of two terms. The presidency is largely a ceremonial office, but the President does exercise certain limited powers with absolute...
at the 2011 presidential election.
On 12 February 2009, the Committee on Legal Affairs
Committee on Legal Affairs
The Committee on Legal Affairs is a committee of the European Parliament.It is preparing many crucial decisions of the European Parliament. It met on 20 and 21 June 2005 and debated and voted on the Directive on the patentability of computer-implemented inventions.-External links:*...
of the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
approved a report drafted by Brian Crowley to extend the copyright
Copyright
Copyright is a legal concept, enacted by most governments, giving the creator of an original work exclusive rights to it, usually for a limited time...
term of music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
recordings from 50 years to 95 years.
In June 2011, Crowley refused to release details of his expense and allowance claims as a member of the European Parliament.
Again in July 2011, Crowley declared to Fianna Fáil party colleagues, that he was available to run for the presidency, but had been advised by party colleague Fianna Fáil TD Willie O'Dea
Willie O'Dea
Willie O'Dea is an Irish Fianna Fáil politician and a Teachta Dála for the Limerick City constituency. He served as the Minister for Defence from September 2004 until 18 February 2010, when he resigned from his post due to controversy over a defamation case.-Early and private life:O'Dea was born...
not to seek his party's nomination. In the context of failure to be nominated for the presidential election by his party, Crowley withdrew his candidature for the nomination.