Simon Coveney
Encyclopedia
Simon Coveney is an Irish
Fine Gael
politician who has served as a Teachta Dála
(TD) for Cork South Central
since 1998. In March 2011 he became Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine in Enda Kenny
's coalition government.
, Coveney was the son of Hugh Coveney
, a chartered quantity surveyor and a member of one of the famous merchant prince families in the city. He was educated locally in Cork before later attending Clongowes Wood College
, County Kildare
. He was expelled from the college in Transition Year
and completed his secondary school education in Presentation Brothers College, Cork. Coveney subsequently attended University College Cork and Gurteen Agricultural College, before completing a BSc
in Agriculture and Land Management from Royal Agricultural College
, Gloucestershire
.
Coveney married his longtime girlfriend Ruth Furney, an IDA Ireland
employee, in July 2008. They have two daughters.
as a Fine Gael candidate for Cork South Central in a by-election caused by the death of his father in 1998. In spite of being a strong supporter of party leader John Bruton
, he remained on the opposition backbenches for a number of years.
In 2001 discipline in the parliamentary party broke down and Coveney came out against Bruton in a leadership heave. His loss of support was a surprise and encouraged others to vote against Bruton. The subsequent leadership contest
was won by Michael Noonan
and a new front bench was put in place. Coveney was subsequently promoted to the position of deputy chief whip.
Coveney was re-elected at the 2002 general election
in what turned out to be a disaster for Fine Gael. The party lost twenty-three seats and some of its most important party figures. Noonan was replaced as party leader by Enda Kenny
who promoted Coveney to the position of spokesperson on Communications, Marine and Natural Resources in his new front bench.
for the South constituency in the 2004 European Parliament election
.
During the three years he spent as an MEP, Coveney held the position of human rights co-ordinator for the largest political group in the European Parliament, the EPP-ED, and twice authored the Parliament's Annual Report on Human Rights in the world. He also spearheaded the Stop the Traffic campaign at the European Parliament. He was a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee and the Delegation for Relations with the USA and a substitute on the Human Rights Subcommittee, Fisheries Committee, Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee and the Delegation for Relations with Iran.
.
Fine Gael won back many of the seats that the party had lost five years earlier, however, they still fell short of forming a coalition government with the Labour Party
. Coveney returned to the party's front bench as spokesperson on Communications, Energy and Natural Resources.
In June 2010, Coveney and a number of other front bench spokespersons stated that they had no confidence in their party leader, Enda Kenny. A subsequent confidence motion in the leader was won. Coveney was re-appointed to the front bench as spokesperson on Transport.
He attended his first meeting of EU Agriculture Ministers in Brussels on 17 March.
Coveney provoked controversy when, in September 2011, he flew to Algeria
on the government jet at a cost of more than €26,000 to the Irish taxpayer when there were flights available for €16,331. While there Mr. Coveney cut a ribbon at the opening of a supermarket in Oran
.
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
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 who has served as 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 Cork South Central
Cork South Central (Dáil Éireann constituency)
Cork South–Central is a parliamentary constituency represented in Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament or Oireachtas. The constituency elects 5 deputies...
since 1998. In March 2011 he became Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine in 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...
's coalition government.
Early and personal life
Born in CorkCork (city)
Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the island of Ireland's third most populous city. It is the principal city and administrative centre of County Cork and the largest city in the province of Munster. Cork has a population of 119,418, while the addition of the suburban...
, Coveney was the son of Hugh Coveney
Hugh Coveney
Hugh P. Coveney was a senior Irish Fine Gael politician, and a noted yachtsman.Hugh Coveney was born into one of Cork's prosperous "merchant prince" families in 1935. He was educated at Christian Brothers College, Cork, Clongowes Wood and the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors...
, a chartered quantity surveyor and a member of one of the famous merchant prince families in the city. He was educated locally in Cork before later attending Clongowes Wood College
Clongowes Wood College
Clongowes Wood College is a voluntary secondary boarding school for boys, located near Clane in County Kildare, Ireland. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1814, it is one of Ireland's oldest Catholic schools, and featured prominently in James Joyce's semi-autobiographical novel A Portrait of the...
, 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 expelled from the college in Transition Year
Transition Year
Transition Year is an optional one-year school programme that can be taken in the year after the Junior Certificate in Ireland and is intended to make the senior cycle a three year programme encompassing both Transition Year and Leaving Certificate...
and completed his secondary school education in Presentation Brothers College, Cork. Coveney subsequently attended University College Cork and Gurteen Agricultural College, before completing a BSc
BSC
BSC is a three-letter abbreviation that may refer to:Science and technology* Bachelor of Science , an undergraduate degree* Base Station Controller, part of a mobile phone network; see: Base Station subsystem...
in Agriculture and Land Management from Royal Agricultural College
Royal Agricultural College
The Royal Agricultural College is a higher education institution located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire, UK. Established in 1845, it was the first agricultural college in the English speaking world...
, Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
.
Coveney married his longtime girlfriend Ruth Furney, an IDA Ireland
IDA Ireland
IDA Ireland is the agency responsible for industrial development in Ireland. The agency was founded in 1949 as the Industrial Development Authority and placed on a statutory footing a year later...
employee, in July 2008. They have two daughters.
Beginnings
Coveney was 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...
as a Fine Gael candidate for Cork South Central in a by-election caused by the death of his father in 1998. In spite of being a strong supporter of party leader John Bruton
John Bruton
John Gerard Bruton is an Irish politician who served as Taoiseach of Ireland from 1994 to 1997. A minister under two taoisigh, Liam Cosgrave and Garret FitzGerald, Bruton held a number of the top posts in Irish government, including Minister for Finance , and Minister for Industry, Trade,...
, he remained on the opposition backbenches for a number of years.
In 2001 discipline in the parliamentary party broke down and Coveney came out against Bruton in a leadership heave. His loss of support was a surprise and encouraged others to vote against Bruton. The subsequent leadership contest
Fine Gael leadership election, 2001
The Fine Gael leadership election of February 2001 was held to find a successor to John Bruton who resigned following a defeat in a motion of no confidence in his leadership of the party....
was won by Michael Noonan
Michael Noonan
Michael Noonan is an Irish Fine Gael politician and has been the Minister for Finance since March 2011. He has been a Teachta Dála for the Limerick East and later Limerick City constituencies since 1981....
and a new front bench was put in place. Coveney was subsequently promoted to the position of deputy chief whip.
Coveney was re-elected at the 2002 general election
Irish general election, 2002
The Irish general election of 2002 was held on Friday, 17 May 2002 just over three weeks after the dissolution of the 28th Dáil on Thursday 25 April by President Mary McAleese, at the request of the Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern...
in what turned out to be a disaster for Fine Gael. The party lost twenty-three seats and some of its most important party figures. Noonan was replaced as party leader by 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...
who promoted Coveney to the position of spokesperson on Communications, Marine and Natural Resources in his new front bench.
Member of the European Parliament
Coveney enhanced his political profile by securing election to European ParliamentEuropean Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
for the South constituency in the 2004 European Parliament election
European Parliament election, 2004 (Ireland)
The 2004 European Parliament election in Ireland was the Irish component of the 2004 European Parliament election. The voting was held on Friday, 11 June 2004. The election coincided with the 2004 local elections...
.
During the three years he spent as an MEP, Coveney held the position of human rights co-ordinator for the largest political group in the European Parliament, the EPP-ED, and twice authored the Parliament's Annual Report on Human Rights in the world. He also spearheaded the Stop the Traffic campaign at the European Parliament. He was a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee and the Delegation for Relations with the USA and a substitute on the Human Rights Subcommittee, Fisheries Committee, Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee and the Delegation for Relations with Iran.
Domestic return
Coveney returned to Ireland to contest the 2007 general election. He was successful in being returned to the Dáil and, as a result, stepped down as an MEP. He was replaced in the European Parliament by Colm BurkeColm Burke
Colm Burke is an Irish Fine Gael politician and member of Seanad Éireann.He was a member of the European Parliament for the South constituency in Ireland between 2007 and 2009. He was appointed in June 2007 following the re-election of the outgoing MEP Simon Coveney to Dáil Éireann...
.
Fine Gael won back many of the seats that the party had lost five years earlier, however, they still fell short of forming a coalition government with 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...
. Coveney returned to the party's front bench as spokesperson on Communications, Energy and Natural Resources.
In June 2010, Coveney and a number of other front bench spokespersons stated that they had no confidence in their party leader, Enda Kenny. A subsequent confidence motion in the leader was won. Coveney was re-appointed to the front bench as spokesperson on Transport.
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine
On 9 March 2011, Coveney was appointed Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine in the new Fine Gael-Labour Party coalition government.He attended his first meeting of EU Agriculture Ministers in Brussels on 17 March.
Coveney provoked controversy when, in September 2011, he flew to Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
on the government jet at a cost of more than €26,000 to the Irish taxpayer when there were flights available for €16,331. While there Mr. Coveney cut a ribbon at the opening of a supermarket in Oran
Oran
Oran is a major city on the northwestern Mediterranean coast of Algeria, and the second largest city of the country.It is the capital of the Oran Province . The city has a population of 759,645 , while the metropolitan area has a population of approximately 1,500,000, making it the second largest...
.