Feargal Quinn
Encyclopedia
Feargal Quinn is an Irish
politician, businessman, television personality and an independent
member of Seanad Éireann
.
, and is a commerce graduate of University College Dublin
. He is married to Denise Quinn, daughter of Ned and Grace Prendergast. They have five adult children and 14 grandchildren He is a first cousin of Labour Party politician Ruairi Quinn
and of Lochlann Quinn, former chairman of Allied Irish Banks
(AIB).
He is the author of "Crowning the Customer" (O'Brien Press, 1990), which has been translated into many languages. He is the recipient of three honorary doctorates from Irish education institutions (NCEA
, National University of Ireland
and the University of Dublin
) and of a papal knighthood. He shared with Oprah Winfrey
the 2006 "Listener of the Year" award of the International Listening Association
.
supermarket
chain, of which he remains non-executive president after his family sold out their interest in August 2005. He became the chairman of the Interim Board for Posts and served as chairman of its successor An Post
(the Irish postal administration) until 1989 - he also served on several other public authorities and boards. From 1993 to 1998, he chaired the steering committee which oversaw the development of the Leaving Certificate
Applied version. He currently chairs the IBEC-sponsored business committee on better regulation, Sensible Rules. In 2006 he was appointed an Adjunct Professor in Marketing at National University of Ireland, Galway
.
He is a former President of EuroCommerce the Brussel-based organisation which represents the retail, wholesale and international trade sectors in Europe. Its membership includes over 100 commerce federations in 27 European countries, European and national associations representing specific branches of commerce and many companies. Also he serves on the board of directors of CIES – the Food Business Forum based in Paris as well as the American-based Food Marketing Institute.
and was re-elected in 1997, 2002, 2007 and 2011. He is a member of the Joint Oireachtas
Committee on European Affairs, the Joint Committee on Finance and Public Service and is an Oireachtas member of the National Economic and Social Forum.
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,...
politician, businessman, television personality and an independent
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
member of Seanad Éireann
Seanad Éireann
Seanad Éireann is the upper house of the Oireachtas , which also comprises the President of Ireland and Dáil Éireann . It is commonly called the Seanad or Senate and its members Senators or Seanadóirí . Unlike Dáil Éireann, it is not directly elected but consists of a mixture of members chosen by...
.
Early and personal life
Quinn was born in Dublin in 1936, and was educated in Newbridge CollegeNewbridge College
Newbridge College is a co-educational fee-paying secondary school in Newbridge, County Kildare, Ireland, run by the Dominican Order. The Dominican Fathers founded Newbridge College in 1852 as a boarding school for boys...
, and is a commerce graduate of 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...
. He is married to Denise Quinn, daughter of Ned and Grace Prendergast. They have five adult children and 14 grandchildren He is a first cousin of Labour Party politician Ruairi Quinn
Ruairi Quinn
Ruairi Quinn is an Irish Labour Party politician who has been Minister for Education and Skills since March 2011. He is currently a Teachta Dála for the Dublin South East constituency. He was Minister for Finance from 1994 to 1997, and leader of the Labour Party from 1997 to 2002.-Early...
and of Lochlann Quinn, former chairman of Allied Irish Banks
Allied Irish Banks
Allied Irish Banks p.l.c. is a major commercial bank based in Ireland.AIB is one of the so called "big four" commercial banks in the state. The bank has one of the largest branch networks in Ireland; only Bank of Ireland fully rivals it. AIB offers a full range of personal and corporate banking...
(AIB).
He is the author of "Crowning the Customer" (O'Brien Press, 1990), which has been translated into many languages. He is the recipient of three honorary doctorates from Irish education institutions (NCEA
Higher Education and Training Awards Council
The Higher Education and Training Awards Council , the legal successor to the National Council for Educational Awards , grants higher education awards in Ireland in the extra-university system...
, National University of Ireland
National University of Ireland
The National University of Ireland , , is a federal university system of constituent universities, previously called constituent colleges, and recognised colleges set up under the Irish Universities Act, 1908, and significantly amended by the Universities Act, 1997.The constituent universities are...
and the University of Dublin
University of Dublin
The University of Dublin , corporately designated the Chancellor, Doctors and Masters of the University of Dublin , located in Dublin, Ireland, was effectively founded when in 1592 Queen Elizabeth I issued a charter for Trinity College, Dublin, as "the mother of a university" – this date making it...
) and of a papal knighthood. He shared with Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey is an American media proprietor, talk show host, actress, producer and philanthropist. Winfrey is best known for her self-titled, multi-award-winning talk show, which has become the highest-rated program of its kind in history and was nationally syndicated from 1986 to 2011...
the 2006 "Listener of the Year" award of the International Listening Association
International Listening Association
The International Listening Association is an organization developed to promote the study, development, and teaching of listening; the association is “dedicated to learning more about the impact that listening has on all human activity.” The ILA was founded in 1979 In Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA...
.
Business and public service career
He has had a career in both business and public service. He is the founder of SuperquinnSuperquinn
Superquinn is an Irish supermarket chain. Until 2005, the company was entirely privately held by the Quinn family. It is now a subsidiary of Select Retail Holdings Limited....
supermarket
Supermarket
A supermarket, a form of grocery store, is a self-service store offering a wide variety of food and household merchandise, organized into departments...
chain, of which he remains non-executive president after his family sold out their interest in August 2005. He became the chairman of the Interim Board for Posts and served as chairman of its successor An Post
An Post
An Post is the State-owned provider of postal services in the Republic of Ireland. An Post provides a universal postal service to all parts of the country as a member of the Universal Postal Union...
(the Irish postal administration) until 1989 - he also served on several other public authorities and boards. From 1993 to 1998, he chaired the steering committee which oversaw the development of the Leaving Certificate
Leaving Certificate
The Leaving Certificate Examinations , commonly referred to as the Leaving Cert is the final examination in the Irish secondary school system. It takes a minimum of two years preparation, but an optional Transition Year means that for those students it takes place three years after the Junior...
Applied version. He currently chairs the IBEC-sponsored business committee on better regulation, Sensible Rules. In 2006 he was appointed an Adjunct Professor in Marketing at National University of Ireland, Galway
National University of Ireland, Galway
The National University of Ireland, Galway is a constituent university of the National University of Ireland...
.
He is a former President of EuroCommerce the Brussel-based organisation which represents the retail, wholesale and international trade sectors in Europe. Its membership includes over 100 commerce federations in 27 European countries, European and national associations representing specific branches of commerce and many companies. Also he serves on the board of directors of CIES – the Food Business Forum based in Paris as well as the American-based Food Marketing Institute.
Political career
Quinn was first elected as a senator in 1993 from the National University of Ireland constituencyNational University of Ireland (constituency)
National University of Ireland is a parliamentary constituency in Ireland, through which graduates of the National University of Ireland have elected members of various legislative bodies including currently Seanad Éireann.-Summary:...
and was re-elected in 1997, 2002, 2007 and 2011. He is a member of the Joint 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 European Affairs, the Joint Committee on Finance and Public Service and is an Oireachtas member of the National Economic and Social Forum.