Therese Ridge
Encyclopedia
Therese Ridge is a Fine Gael
politician from Clondalkin
, County Dublin
in Ireland
.
Ridge was educated at Goldenbridge College, Dublin and at St Patrick's College, Maynooth
, where she graduated with an MA. She worked as a Montessori teacher and then as an external tutor at Maynooth Adult Education Department and at Stewarts Hospital in Palmerstown
.
since the county's establishment in 1993, and was chair of the Council from 1996 to 1997. She previously represented the same Clondalkin area on the former Dublin County Council
, to which she was elected in 1985 and which she chaired from 1992 to 1993.
Ridge stood three times as a Fine Gael candidate for Dáil Éireann
, but was unsuccessful on each occasion: in Dublin South West
at the 1987 general election
, in Dublin West at the 1992 general election
and in Dublin Mid West
at the 2002 general election
.
She stood unsuccessfully at the 1989 and 1993 elections to Seanad Éireann
on the Labour Panel, but won a seat at the 1997 election to the 21st Seanad. She was defeated in the 2002 Seanad elections.
, whose allegations of corruption in the rezoning of land in County Dublin
were based on his own involvement in much of the alleged wrongdoing, claimed in 2000 that he had paid 16 councillors involved in rezoning decisions including that on the Quarryvale site in west Dublin. Fine Gael's then leader John Bruton
established an internal inquiry into the allegations, which reported in May 2000 that that it was while Ridge had received donations from developers (including two payments of £500 each from Dunlop), it was "satisfied that Ms. Ridge did not allow the payments which she received to influence her decision to vote on any of these three motions".
In November 2007, Dunlop told the tribunal had persuaded councillors to arrange the seating at a county council meeting to ensure that Fine Gael councillor Peter Brady could be prompted by Ridge to vote in favour of a motion on Quarryvale. Dunlop told the tribunal that he was in the public gallery at the time of the vote and heard Ridge say to her colleague "for, Peter, for" when the time came for him to cast his vote.
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 from Clondalkin
Clondalkin
-Today:Modern Clondalkin is a busy satellite town of Dublin, with a population of 43,929 in 2006. Retail facilities include Tesco Ireland- and Dunnes Stores-led shopping centres, and Aldi and Lidl stores on the Fonthill Road and New Nangor Road respectively, and the village centre is a base for...
, County Dublin
County Dublin
County Dublin is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Dublin Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the city of Dublin which is the capital of Ireland. County Dublin was one of the first of the parts of Ireland to be shired by King John of England following the...
in Ireland
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,...
.
Ridge was educated at Goldenbridge College, Dublin and at St Patrick's College, Maynooth
St Patrick's College, Maynooth
St Patrick's College, Maynooth is the "National Seminary for Ireland" , and a Pontifical University, located in the village of Maynooth, 15 miles from Dublin, Ireland. The college and seminary are often referred to as Maynooth College. The college was officially established as the Royal College...
, where she graduated with an MA. She worked as a Montessori teacher and then as an external tutor at Maynooth Adult Education Department and at Stewarts Hospital in Palmerstown
Palmerstown
Palmerstown , occasionally referred to as Palmerston, is a suburb of Dublin,Ireland. It is located about 8km west of the city centre, in the administrative county of South Dublin. The area is bordered to the north by the River Liffey, to the west by Lucan, to the south by Ballyfermot and to theeast...
.
Political career
She has been a councillor was on the South Dublin County CouncilSouth Dublin County Council
South Dublin County Council is the local authority for the county of South Dublin in Ireland. It is one of three local authorities that comprised the former Dublin County Council before its abolition, and one of four councils in the Dublin Region...
since the county's establishment in 1993, and was chair of the Council from 1996 to 1997. She previously represented the same Clondalkin area on the former Dublin County Council
Dublin County Council
Dublin County Council was a local authority for the administrative county of County Dublin in the Republic of Ireland. It was established by the Local Government Act 1898....
, to which she was elected in 1985 and which she chaired from 1992 to 1993.
Ridge stood three times as a Fine Gael 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...
, but was unsuccessful on each occasion: in Dublin South West
Dublin South West (Dáil Éireann constituency)
Dublin South–West is a parliamentary constituency represented in Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament or Oireachtas. The constituency elects 4 deputies...
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...
, in Dublin West at the 1992 general election
Irish general election, 1992
The Irish general election of 1992 was held on Wednesday, 25 November 1992, almost three weeks after the dissolution of the Dáil on 5 November. However, after difficulties in forming a government the newly elected 166 members of the 27th Dáil did not assemble at Leinster House until 4 January 1993...
and in Dublin Mid West
Dublin Mid West (Dáil Éireann constituency)
Dublin Mid–West is a parliamentary constituency represented in Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament or Oireachtas. The constituency elects 4 deputies...
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...
.
She stood unsuccessfully at the 1989 and 1993 elections to 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...
on the Labour Panel, but won a seat at the 1997 election to the 21st Seanad. She was defeated in the 2002 Seanad elections.
Mahon Tribunal
The lobbyist Frank DunlopFrank Dunlop
Frank Dunlop is an Irish lobbyist and former broadcast journalist with Raidió Teilifís Éireann . Originally from County Kilkenny, he is a key witness to the Mahon Tribunal which is investigating improper payments by property developers to Irish politicians and will be a key witness in pending...
, whose allegations of corruption in the rezoning of land in County Dublin
County Dublin
County Dublin is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Dublin Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the city of Dublin which is the capital of Ireland. County Dublin was one of the first of the parts of Ireland to be shired by King John of England following the...
were based on his own involvement in much of the alleged wrongdoing, claimed in 2000 that he had paid 16 councillors involved in rezoning decisions including that on the Quarryvale site in west Dublin. Fine Gael's then 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,...
established an internal inquiry into the allegations, which reported in May 2000 that that it was while Ridge had received donations from developers (including two payments of £500 each from Dunlop), it was "satisfied that Ms. Ridge did not allow the payments which she received to influence her decision to vote on any of these three motions".
In November 2007, Dunlop told the tribunal had persuaded councillors to arrange the seating at a county council meeting to ensure that Fine Gael councillor Peter Brady could be prompted by Ridge to vote in favour of a motion on Quarryvale. Dunlop told the tribunal that he was in the public gallery at the time of the vote and heard Ridge say to her colleague "for, Peter, for" when the time came for him to cast his vote.