Michael Mills
Encyclopedia
Michael Mills was an Irish
journalist
who served as Ireland's first Ombudsman
for two terms beginning in 1984. He retired from the office in 1994.
Mills grew up in County Laois
. He initially trained to become Roman Catholic priest. However, he abandoned that calling in order to take a junior reporter job with the junior reporter with the People newspaper group in Wexford
, Ireland. He turned journalism into a fuil time career and worked as a reporter for The Irish Times
for over twenty years.
Former Irish Taoiseach
Garret FitzGerald
appointed Mills as Ireland's first Ombudsman in 1984. During his two terms in office as Ombudsman, Mills investigated complaints from the public
about local authorities, government departments and health board
s. He retired in 1994 at the age of 67.
Michael Mills died at the age of 80 on 13 April 2008, after a short illness. He was survived by his wife, Brid, and eight children.
Tributes poured in from across Ireland on the news of Mills' death. Former Irish Taoiseach
Bertie Ahern
called Mills a respected public servant and one of Ireland's finest journalists. The current Irish Ombudsman, Emily O'Reilly
, said that Mills laid the groundwork for the future and growth of the office. Tributes were also paid by the Irish Human Rights Commission
and the Children's Rights Alliance.
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
who served as Ireland's first Ombudsman
Ombudsman
An ombudsman is a person who acts as a trusted intermediary between an organization and some internal or external constituency while representing not only but mostly the broad scope of constituent interests...
for two terms beginning in 1984. He retired from the office in 1994.
Mills grew up in County Laois
County Laois
County Laois is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Midlands Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It was formerly known as Queen's County until the establishment of the Irish Free State in 1922. The county's name was formerly spelt as Laoighis and Leix. Laois County Council...
. He initially trained to become Roman Catholic priest. However, he abandoned that calling in order to take a junior reporter job with the junior reporter with the People newspaper group in Wexford
Wexford
Wexford is the county town of County Wexford, Ireland. It is situated near the southeastern corner of Ireland, close to Rosslare Europort. The town is connected to Dublin via the M11/N11 National Primary Route, and the national rail network...
, Ireland. He turned journalism into a fuil time career and worked as a reporter for 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...
for over twenty years.
Former Irish 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...
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...
appointed Mills as Ireland's first Ombudsman in 1984. During his two terms in office as Ombudsman, Mills investigated complaints from the public
Public
In public relations and communication science, publics are groups of individuals, and the public is the totality of such groupings. This is a different concept to the sociological concept of the Öffentlichkeit or public sphere. The concept of a public has also been defined in political science,...
about local authorities, government departments and health board
Health board
Health board might mean in the following countries a current or historical body concerned with health services and/or public health.*Australia*Canada*Denmark - a National Board of Health*England - a Board of Health...
s. He retired in 1994 at the age of 67.
Michael Mills died at the age of 80 on 13 April 2008, after a short illness. He was survived by his wife, Brid, and eight children.
Tributes poured in from across Ireland on the news of Mills' death. Former Irish 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...
Bertie Ahern
Bertie Ahern
Patrick Bartholomew "Bertie" Ahern is a former Irish politician who served as Taoiseach of Ireland from 26 June 1997 to 7 May 2008....
called Mills a respected public servant and one of Ireland's finest journalists. The current Irish Ombudsman, Emily O'Reilly
Emily O'Reilly
Emily O'Reilly is an author and former journalist and broadcaster who became Ireland's first female Ombudsman in 2003, succeeding Kevin Murphy....
, said that Mills laid the groundwork for the future and growth of the office. Tributes were also paid by the Irish Human Rights Commission
Irish Human Rights Commission
The Irish Human Rights Commission is a public body, state-funded but independent of government, that promotes and protects human rights in the Republic of Ireland. It was established in 2000 by an Act of the Oireachtas...
and the Children's Rights Alliance.