Nessa Childers

Last updated

Nessa Childers
Nessa Childers MEP Ireland 01 (cropped).JPG
Member of the European Parliament
In office
1 July 2014 –24 May 2019
Spouse
Ross Skelton
​
(m. 1980)​
Children2
Parents
Relatives
Education
Website nessachilders.ie

Nessa Maria Vereker Childers (born 9 October 1956) is an Irish former independent politician who served as a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) from 2009 to 2019. [1]

Contents

Early life

She is the daughter of the fourth President of Ireland, Erskine H. Childers [2] [3] and his second wife, Rita Childers. [4] Her paternal grandfather was Erskine Childers, a leading Irish republican and author of the espionage thriller The Riddle of the Sands . She has an Arts and Psychology degree from Trinity College Dublin and a postgraduate diploma from University College Dublin. During her time at Trinity she served as Registrar of the University Philosophical Society. She previously worked as a psychoanalyst in private practice. [5]

Politics

She is a former County councillor for the Green Party, representing the Blackrock local electoral area on Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown County Council. She was elected in 2004 and resigned from her seat in August 2008. [6]

Childers originally joined the Labour Party before the 2004 local elections, but when she failed to get a nomination to run for Dún LaoghaireRathdown County Council, she switched to the Green Party and was elected to represent it as a Councillor. [6]

In September 2008, she resigned from the Green Party to run for the Labour Party in the East constituency at the 2009 European Parliament election. [7] She was elected in May 2009. [8]

Between 2009 and 2014, Childers was a member of the European Parliament's Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety and the delegation for relations with Japan. She was also a substitute member of the Committee on Culture and Education. [9]

In November 2011, she refused to support the Irish Government's nominee to the European Court of Auditors, Kevin Cardiff. [10] who was head of the Financial Services Division of the Department of Finance. [11] Childers said she had concerns about his suitability given the uncertainty around his role in the Irish Bank Guarantee and a recent serious error in the calculation of the Irish public finances. [12]

Childers campaigned unsuccessfully to have former Fianna Fáil TD, Minister and European Commissioner Pádraig Flynn, stripped of his Commission pension after the Mahon Tribunal, which found him to have received corrupt payments. The reason the Commission gave was that the findings "do not represent the verdict of a court after due process". [13]

She resigned from the Parliamentary Labour Party on 5 April 2013, saying "..I no longer want to support a Government that is actually hurting people". [14] She resigned from the Labour Party itself in July 2013. [15] She was a non-attached MEP from 2013 to 2014.

In June 2013, she called upon Minister Phil Hogan to convene a commission to decide on new constituency boundaries. She noted a reduction in European Parliamentary seats allocated to Irish constituencies, which had fallen from 12 to 11 as a consequence of the accession of Croatia to the European Union. [16] She further called for a ban on the placement of election posters on local council-owned poles, but not on the more common eircom poles or Electric Ireland poles. The commission was appointed in July 2013. [17]

In January 2014, Childers announced that she would switch from the East constituency to the Dublin constituency at the 2014 European Parliament election. [18] For the 2014 election the East constituency was abolished with the northern part transferred to the new Midlands–North-West constituency, and the southern part transferred to the South constituency.

Childers was elected for the Dublin constituency at the 2014 European election. On 18 June 2014, she was re-admitted to the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D). [19] In 2017, Childers stated she would not contest the 2019 European Parliament elections. [20]

Childers is a member of the Advisory Panel of Democracy in Europe Movement 2025. [21]

See also

Related Research Articles

Barry Desmond is an Irish former Labour Party politician who was Minister for Health from 1982 to 1987 and Minister for Social Welfare from 1982 to 1986. He served as a Teachta Dála (TD) from 1969 to 1989, a Minister of State from 1981 to 1982, a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for Dublin from 1989 to 1994, and Ireland's member of the European Court of Auditors from 1994 to 2000.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown</span> County in Ireland

Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown is a county in Ireland. It is in the province of Leinster and the Eastern and Midland Region. It is one of three successor counties to County Dublin, which was disestablished in 1994. It is named after the former borough of Dún Laoghaire and the barony of Rathdown. Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown County Council is the local authority for the county. The population of the county was 233,860 at the time of the 2022 census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mary Hanafin</span> Irish Fianna Fáil politician (b. 1959)

Mary Hanafin is an Irish Fianna Fáil politician who served as Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport from 2010 to 2011, Deputy leader of Fianna Fáil from January 2011 to March 2011, Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation from January 2011 to March 2011, Minister for Social and Family Affairs from 2008 to 2011, Minister for Education and Science from 2004 to 2008, Government Chief Whip from 2002 to 2004 and Minister of State for Children from 2000 to 2002. She served as a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Dún Laoghaire constituency from 1997 to 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eamon Gilmore</span> Irish former Labour Party leader (born 1955)

Eamon Gilmore is a European Union diplomat, and an Irish former Labour Party politician. He serves as European Union Special Representative for Human Rights since February 2019. He is also the European Union Special Envoy for the Colombian Peace Process since 2015. He was Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade from 2011 to 2014, Leader of the Labour Party from 2007 to 2014, Chair of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe from 2012 to 2013, Minister of State at the Department of the Marine from 1994 to 1997. He was a Teachta Dála for the Dún Laoghaire constituency from 1989 to 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dún Laoghaire (Dáil constituency)</span> Dáil constituency (1977–present)

Dún Laoghaire is a parliamentary constituency represented in Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament or Oireachtas. The constituency elects 4 deputies on the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote (PR-STV).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barry Andrews (politician)</span> Irish politician (born 1967)

Barry Andrews is an Irish politician who serves as a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for the Dublin constituency. He is a member of Fianna Fáil, part of Renew Europe. He previously served as Minister of State for Children from 2008 to 2011. He was a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Dún Laoghaire constituency from 2002 to 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dublin (European Parliament constituency)</span> Constituency of the European Parliament

Dublin is a European Parliament constituency in Ireland. It elects 4 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) using proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote (STV).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frances Fitzgerald (politician)</span> Irish politician (born 1950)

Frances Fitzgerald is an Irish politician who has been a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) from Ireland for the Dublin constituency since July 2019. She is a member of Fine Gael, part of the European People's Party. She previously served as Tánaiste from 2016 to 2017, Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation from June 2017 to November 2017, Minister for Justice and Equality from 2014 to 2016, Minister for Children and Youth Affairs from 2011 to 2014 and Leader of Fine Gael in the Seanad from 2007 to 2011. She served as a Teachta Dála (TD) from 1992 to 2002 and 2011 to 2019. She was also a Senator for the Labour Panel from 2007 to 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clare Daly</span> Irish politician (born 1968)

Clare Daly is an Irish politician who has been a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) from Ireland for the Dublin constituency since July 2019. She is a member of Independents 4 Change, part of The Left in the European Parliament – GUE/NGL.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bronwen Maher</span> Irish politician

Bronwen Maher is a former member of Dublin City Council who represented the Clontarf electoral area. She was elected as a Green Party councillor in 2004 on her third attempt. She was elected Deputy Lord Mayor of Dublin in June 2005, and elected Chairman of the Dublin Regional Authority 2007–2008. She is a former member of the Irish Green Party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2009 European Parliament election in Ireland</span> Irish component of the 2009 European Parliament election

The 2009 European Parliament election in Ireland was the Irish component of the 2009 European Parliament election and was held on Friday, 5 June 2009, coinciding with the 2009 local elections. Two by-elections were also held on the same day.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alex White (Irish politician)</span> Irish former politician (b. 1958)

Alex White is an Irish lawyer and a former Labour Party politician. Since January 2023 he has been Director General of the Institute of International and European Affairs, a think-tank based in Dublin. White served as Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources from 2014 to 2016, Minister of State for Primary Care from 2012 to 2014 and Leader of the Labour Party in the Seanad 2007 to 2011. He served as a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Dublin South constituency from 2011 to 2016. He was a Senator for the Cultural and Educational Panel from 2007 to 2011.

Florence O'Mahony was an Irish politician. A member of the Labour Party, he was a senator in the 1980s, and was also a Member of the European Parliament (MEP).

Christopher Gerard O'Malley is an Irish former Fine Gael politician who served as a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for the Dublin constituency from 1986 to 1989.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2014 European Parliament election in Ireland</span> Irish component of the 2014 European Parliament election

The 2014 European Parliament election in Ireland was the Irish component of the 2014 European Parliament election and was held on Friday, 23 May 2014, on the same day as the 2014 local elections and two by-elections. The election was conducted under the single transferable vote. Counting of the votes began on Sunday, 25 May and continued until Tuesday, 27 May.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mary Mitchell O'Connor</span> Irish former politician (born 1959)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor is an Irish former Fine Gael politician who served as a Minister of State from 2017 to 2020 and Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation from 2016 to 2017. She served as a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Dún Laoghaire constituency from 2011 to 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paul Murphy (Irish politician)</span> Irish politician (born 1983)

Paul Murphy is an Irish People Before Profit–Solidarity politician who has been a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Dublin South-West constituency since the 2014 Dublin South-West by-election. He served as a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for the Dublin constituency from 2011 to 2014.

Dublin Rathdown is a parliamentary constituency represented in Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament or Oireachtas, since the 2016 general election. The constituency elects three deputies on the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote (PR-STV).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Neale Richmond</span> Irish politician (born 1983)

Neale Richmond is an Irish Fine Gael politician who has served as Minister of State since 2023. He has been a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Dublin Rathdown constituency since the 2020 general election. He previously served as a Senator for the Labour Panel from 2016 to 2020.

References

  1. ↑ "Nessa Childers". European Parliament . Archived from the original on 25 March 2012. Retrieved 26 January 2012.
  2. ↑ "Nessa Childers will run in Dublin in effort to retain European Parliament seat". 29 January 2014. Archived from the original on 7 March 2016. Retrieved 16 September 2015.
  3. ↑ "European Constituency Profile - Dublin". RTÉ.ie . 30 April 2014. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 16 September 2015.
  4. ↑ "Mourners told of 'special woman' Rita Childers". The Irish Times . Archived from the original on 10 April 2021. Retrieved 20 February 2020.
  5. ↑ "My story". Archived from the original on 28 September 2015. Retrieved 1 September 2015.
  6. 1 2 "Childers set to seek Labour nomination". The Irish Times . 7 October 2008. Archived from the original on 20 May 2011. Retrieved 12 October 2008.
  7. ↑ "Nessa Childers". ElectionsIreland.org. Archived from the original on 21 February 2011. Retrieved 14 February 2010.
  8. ↑ "ElectionsIreland.org: 2009 Euro - East First Preference Votes". Archived from the original on 10 October 2014. Retrieved 7 October 2014.
  9. ↑ "Home | MEPs | European Parliament". Archived from the original on 25 October 2014. Retrieved 7 October 2014.
  10. ↑ "The Members of the European Court of Auditors since 1977" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 1 October 2014. Retrieved 7 October 2014.
  11. ↑ "Pressure not to speak out on Cardiff appointment: Labour MEP Nessa Childers". RTÉ.ie . Archived from the original on 11 October 2014. Retrieved 7 October 2014.
  12. ↑ "Find a Debate – Houses of the Oireachtas". Archived from the original on 19 September 2012. Retrieved 7 October 2014.
  13. ↑ "Nessa Childers calls for Padraig Flynn to lose EU pension". RTÉ News. 4 April 2012. Archived from the original on 5 April 2012. Retrieved 4 April 2012.
  14. ↑ "MEP Nessa Childers resigns from Parliamentary Labour Party". RTÉ News . 5 April 2013. Archived from the original on 9 April 2013. Retrieved 5 April 2013.
  15. ↑ "Gone: MEP Nessa Childers resigns from Labour". TheJournal.ie. 24 July 2013. Archived from the original on 23 August 2013. Retrieved 24 July 2013.
  16. ↑ Childers, Nessa (12 June 2013). "Certainty". Nessa Childers. Archived from the original on 29 October 2013. Retrieved 28 August 2013.
  17. ↑ "Constituency Commission Terms of Appointment" (PDF). Constituency Commission Terms. Constituency Commission. Archived (PDF) from the original on 14 November 2017. Retrieved 28 August 2013.
  18. ↑ "Dublin seat shaping up to be the one to watch in the European elections". The Irish Times. 1 February 2014. Archived from the original on 9 August 2020. Retrieved 20 February 2020.
  19. ↑ "Nessa Childers MEP formally re-joins the Socialists and Democrats (S&D) political grouping in the European Parliament". Archived from the original on 8 September 2014. Retrieved 23 June 2014.
  20. ↑ "Childers will not contest the 2019 European Parliament elections". Nessa Childers MEP. Archived from the original on 24 May 2019. Retrieved 10 March 2019.
  21. ↑ "Advisory Panel". Archived from the original on 25 August 2019. Retrieved 26 June 2019.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.