Máire Whelan
Encyclopedia
Máire R Whelan SC
is an Irish
barrister
and senior counsel
who was appointed to the post of Attorney General
on 9 March 2011 by President Mary McAleese
on the nomination of the Taoiseach
. She is the first woman to hold this position in Ireland.
Whelan studied politics and sociology at University College Galway, before switching to law, and gained a Masters Degree from the University of London
. She was called to the bar
in 1985, and was appointed as senior counsel in 2005. She is a co-author of National Asset Management Agency (NAMA) Act 2009: A Reference Guide. She has served as financial secretary of the Labour Party
, which is the junior member of the 2011 coalition government formed with Fine Gael
. Her appointment as Attorney General caused some surprise amongst lawyers because she had a relatively low profile, owing to practising in areas of law where many cases are heard in camera
.
Whelan, aged 49 from Kinvara
, County Galway
, is married to barrister Bernard McCabe. They have one child and live in Dublin.
Senior Counsel
The title of Senior Counsel or State Counsel is given to a senior barrister or advocate in some countries, typically equivalent to the title "Queen's Counsel" used in Commonwealth Realms...
is an Irish
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,...
barrister
Barrister
A barrister is a member of one of the two classes of lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions with split legal professions. Barristers specialise in courtroom advocacy, drafting legal pleadings and giving expert legal opinions...
and senior counsel
Senior Counsel
The title of Senior Counsel or State Counsel is given to a senior barrister or advocate in some countries, typically equivalent to the title "Queen's Counsel" used in Commonwealth Realms...
who was appointed to the post of Attorney General
Attorney General of Ireland
The Attorney General is a constitutional officer who is the official adviser to the Government of Ireland in matters of law. He is in effect the chief law officer in Ireland. The Attorney General is not a member of the Government but does participate in cabinet meetings when invited and attends...
on 9 March 2011 by President Mary McAleese
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...
on the nomination of the 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...
. She is the first woman to hold this position in Ireland.
Whelan studied politics and sociology at University College Galway, before switching to law, and gained a Masters Degree from the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
. She was called to the bar
Call to the bar
The Call to the Bar is a legal term of art in most common law jurisdictions where persons must be qualified to be allowed to argue in court on behalf of another party, and are then said to have been "called to the bar" or to have received a "call to the bar"...
in 1985, and was appointed as senior counsel in 2005. She is a co-author of National Asset Management Agency (NAMA) Act 2009: A Reference Guide. She has served as financial secretary of the 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...
, which is the junior member of the 2011 coalition government formed with 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...
. Her appointment as Attorney General caused some surprise amongst lawyers because she had a relatively low profile, owing to practising in areas of law where many cases are heard in camera
In camera
In camera is a legal term meaning "in private". It is also sometimes termed in chambers or in curia.In camera describes court cases that the public and press are not admitted to...
.
Whelan, aged 49 from Kinvara
Kinvara
Kinvara is a sea port village located in the south of County Galway in the province of Connacht on the west coast of Ireland. Kinvara is also the name of the parish in which the village is situated. Kinvara is occasionally spelled Kinvarra in English; this may be seen on some maps and road signs,...
, County Galway
County Galway
County Galway is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the city of Galway. Galway County Council is the local authority for the county. There are several strongly Irish-speaking areas in the west of the county...
, is married to barrister Bernard McCabe. They have one child and live in Dublin.