Dinny McGinley
Encyclopedia
Denis "Dinny" McGinley is an Irish
Fine Gael
politician. He has been a Teachta Dála
(TD) for the Donegal South West
constituency since February 1982. He was appointed Minister of State
for Gaeltacht
Affairs by Taoiseach
Enda Kenny
on 10 March 2011.
, County Donegal
, a Gaeltacht
area where he still resides. He was educated at Coláiste Íosagáin, Ballyvourney
, County Cork
; St Patrick's College of Education, Dublin and University College Dublin
where he received a Bachelor of Arts
degree. He worked as a teacher and principal at Scoil Chonaill at An Bun Beag, Gweedore, before entering into politics.
at the February 1982 general election. During this time he has held a number of Front Bench positions within the party, including spokesman on Youth Affairs (1987–88), the Gaeltacht (1988–91), the Gaeltacht and Emigrant Welfare (1991–94), Youth Affairs (1994), Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands (2001–02), Defence (2002–04) and Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs (2004–07).
McGinley was Chairman of An Comhchoiste don Ghaeilge (Oireachtas
Committee on the Irish Language) from 1995 to 1997. He is a former member of the Joint Oireachtas Committees on Social Affairs and on Small Business and is a member of the British Irish Parliamentary Body since 1993.
In June 2006, he announced his intention to retire at the 2007 general election, but announced in February 2007 that he had changed his mind and would stand as he stood a better chance of being elected than the selected candidate. He was re-elected at the 2007 general election, and again at the 2011 general election.
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,...
Fine Gael
Fine Gael
Fine Gael is a centre-right to centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland. It is the single largest party in Ireland in the Oireachtas, in local government, and in terms of Members of the European Parliament. The party has a membership of over 35,000...
politician. He has been 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 the Donegal South West
Donegal South West (Dáil Éireann constituency)
Donegal South–West is a parliamentary constituency represented in Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament or Oireachtas. The constituency elects 3 deputies...
constituency since February 1982. He was appointed Minister of State
Minister of State (Ireland)
A Minister of State in Ireland is of non-Cabinet rank, attached to one or more Departments of State of the Government of Ireland....
for Gaeltacht
Gaeltacht
is the Irish language word meaning an Irish-speaking region. In Ireland, the Gaeltacht, or an Ghaeltacht, refers individually to any, or collectively to all, of the districts where the government recognises that the Irish language is the predominant language, that is, the vernacular spoken at home...
Affairs by Taoiseach
Taoiseach
The Taoiseach is the head of government or prime minister of Ireland. The Taoiseach is appointed by the President upon the nomination of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas , and must, in order to remain in office, retain the support of a majority in the Dáil.The current Taoiseach is...
Enda Kenny
Enda Kenny
Enda Kenny is an Irish Fine Gael politician, and has been the Taoiseach since 2011. He has led Fine Gael since 2002. He served as Minister for Tourism and Trade from 1994 to 1997. He is also a two-term Vice President of the European People's Party.Kenny has been a Teachta Dála for Mayo since...
on 10 March 2011.
Background
McGinley was born and brought up in GweedoreGweedore
Gweedore is an Irish-speaking district located on the Atlantic coast of County Donegal, part of the Province of Ulster in Ireland. Gweedore stretches some 16 miles from Meenaclady in the north to Crolly in the south and around 9 miles from Dunlewey in the east to Magheraclogher in the west, and...
, County Donegal
County Donegal
County Donegal is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Ulster. It is named after the town of Donegal. Donegal County Council is the local authority for the county...
, a Gaeltacht
Gaeltacht
is the Irish language word meaning an Irish-speaking region. In Ireland, the Gaeltacht, or an Ghaeltacht, refers individually to any, or collectively to all, of the districts where the government recognises that the Irish language is the predominant language, that is, the vernacular spoken at home...
area where he still resides. He was educated at Coláiste Íosagáin, Ballyvourney
Ballyvourney
Baile Bhuirne , anglicised as Ballyvourney is a Gaeltacht village in south-west County Cork, Ireland. It is a civil parish in the barony of Muskerry West and is also one half of the Ecclesiastical parish of Baile Bhuirne agus Cúil Aodha in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Cloyne-Location and...
, County Cork
County Cork
County Cork is a county in Ireland. It is located in the South-West Region and is also part of the province of Munster. It is named after the city of Cork . Cork County Council is the local authority for the county...
; St Patrick's College of Education, Dublin and University College Dublin
University College Dublin
University College Dublin ) - formally known as University College Dublin - National University of Ireland, Dublin is the Republic of Ireland's largest, and Ireland's second largest, university, with over 1,300 faculty and 17,000 students...
where he received a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree. He worked as a teacher and principal at Scoil Chonaill at An Bun Beag, Gweedore, before entering into politics.
Political life
McGinley was first elected to Dáil ÉireannDáil Éireann
Dáil Éireann is the lower house, but principal chamber, of the Oireachtas , which also includes the President of Ireland and Seanad Éireann . It is directly elected at least once in every five years under the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote...
at the February 1982 general election. During this time he has held a number of Front Bench positions within the party, including spokesman on Youth Affairs (1987–88), the Gaeltacht (1988–91), the Gaeltacht and Emigrant Welfare (1991–94), Youth Affairs (1994), Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands (2001–02), Defence (2002–04) and Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs (2004–07).
McGinley was Chairman of An Comhchoiste don Ghaeilge (Oireachtas
Oireachtas
The Oireachtas , sometimes referred to as Oireachtas Éireann, is the "national parliament" or legislature of Ireland. The Oireachtas consists of:*The President of Ireland*The two Houses of the Oireachtas :**Dáil Éireann...
Committee on the Irish Language) from 1995 to 1997. He is a former member of the Joint Oireachtas Committees on Social Affairs and on Small Business and is a member of the British Irish Parliamentary Body since 1993.
In June 2006, he announced his intention to retire at the 2007 general election, but announced in February 2007 that he had changed his mind and would stand as he stood a better chance of being elected than the selected candidate. He was re-elected at the 2007 general election, and again at the 2011 general election.