Joseph Bermingham
Encyclopedia
Joseph Bermingham was an Irish
Labour Party
politician.
Bermingham was born in Castlemitchell, County Kildare
. He was educated at the Christian Brothers
school in Athy
and the O'Brien Institute
in Dublin. Bermingham worked as a shopkeeper before being elected in 1967 as a member of Kildare County Council
. He was an unsuccessful candidate for Dáil Éireann
in the 1969 general election
and at a by-election in 1970. He was finally elected to the 20th Dáil as Teachta Dála
(TD) for Kildare
at the 1973 election
.
After the 1981 general election
, Labour and Fine Gael
formed a coalition government, and Bermingham was appointed to the position of Minister of State
with responsibility for the Office of Public Works
. He served in that post until early 1982 when the government of Garret FitzGerald
fell in a vote on the budget. When a new Fine Gael
-Labour
coalition came to power after the November 1982 election Bermingham returned to that position, and held the post until he retired from the government in 1986.
Bermingham held his Dáil seat until he stood down at the 1987 general election
. He remained active in local politics and was elected to Kildare County Council in 1991. By that time he had left the Labour Party, and was an Independent representative.
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,...
Labour Party
Labour Party (Ireland)
The Labour Party is a social-democratic political party in the Republic of Ireland. The Labour Party was founded in 1912 in Clonmel, County Tipperary, by James Connolly, James Larkin and William X. O'Brien as the political wing of the Irish Trade Union Congress. Unlike the other main Irish...
politician.
Bermingham was born in Castlemitchell, County Kildare
County Kildare
County Kildare is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Mid-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Kildare. Kildare County Council is the local authority for the county...
. He was educated at the Christian Brothers
Congregation of Christian Brothers
The Congregation of Christian Brothers is a worldwide religious community within the Catholic Church, founded by Blessed Edmund Rice. The Christian Brothers, as they are commonly known, chiefly work for the evangelisation and education of youth, but are involved in many ministries, especially with...
school in Athy
Athy
The town developed from a 12th century Anglo-Norman settlement to an important British military outpost on the border of the Pale.The first town charter dates from the 16th century and the town hall was constructed in the early 18th century...
and the O'Brien Institute
O'Brien Institute
The O'Brien Institute is a building complex in Dublin, Ireland. It was built 1880–1883. The purpose of the building was to serve as an orphan home and school, financed by a trust that was founded by Bridget O'Brien in 1876.The last of the boarders left in 1976,when the school was closed for...
in Dublin. Bermingham worked as a shopkeeper before being elected in 1967 as a member of Kildare County Council
Kildare County Council
Kildare County Council is the local authority which is responsible for County Kildare in Ireland. The Council is responsible for Housing and Community, Roads and Transportation, Urban planning and Development, Amenity and Culture, and Environment. The council is governed by the Local Government...
. He was an unsuccessful candidate for Dáil Éireann
Dáil 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...
in the 1969 general election
Irish general election, 1969
The Irish general election of 1969 was held on 18 June 1969. The newly elected members of the 19th Dáil assembled at Leinster House on 2 July when the new Taoiseach and government were appointed...
and at a by-election in 1970. He was finally elected to the 20th Dáil as 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 Kildare
Kildare (Dáil Éireann constituency)
Kildare was a parliamentary constituency represented in Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament or Oireachtas from 1923 to 1937 and from 1948 to 1997...
at the 1973 election
Irish general election, 1973
The Irish general election of 1973 was held on 28 February 1973. The newly elected 144 members of the 20th Dáil assembled at Leinster House on 4 March when the new Taoiseach and government were appointed....
.
After the 1981 general election
Irish general election, 1981
The Irish general election of 1981 was held on 11 June 1981, three weeks after the dissolution of the Dáil on 21 May. The newly elected 166 members of the 22nd Dáil assembled at Leinster House on 30 June when a new Taoiseach and government were appointed....
, Labour and 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...
formed a coalition government, and Bermingham was appointed to the position of 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....
with responsibility for the Office of Public Works
Office of Public Works
The Office of Public Works is a State Agency of the Department of Finance in the Republic of Ireland...
. He served in that post until early 1982 when the government of Garret FitzGerald
Garret FitzGerald
Garret FitzGerald was an Irish politician who was twice Taoiseach of Ireland, serving in office from July 1981 to February 1982 and again from December 1982 to March 1987. FitzGerald was elected to Seanad Éireann in 1965 and was subsequently elected to Dáil Éireann as a Fine Gael TD in 1969. He...
fell in a vote on the budget. When a new 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...
-Labour
Labour Party (Ireland)
The Labour Party is a social-democratic political party in the Republic of Ireland. The Labour Party was founded in 1912 in Clonmel, County Tipperary, by James Connolly, James Larkin and William X. O'Brien as the political wing of the Irish Trade Union Congress. Unlike the other main Irish...
coalition came to power after the November 1982 election Bermingham returned to that position, and held the post until he retired from the government in 1986.
Bermingham held his Dáil seat until he stood down at the 1987 general election
Irish general election, 1987
The Irish general election of 1987 was held on 17 February 1987, four weeks after the dissolution of the Dáil on 20 January. The newly-elected 166 members of the 25th Dáil assembled at Leinster House on 10 March when a new Taoiseach and government were appointed.The general election took place in...
. He remained active in local politics and was elected to Kildare County Council in 1991. By that time he had left the Labour Party, and was an Independent representative.