Damien English (born 21 February 1978) is an Irish former Fine Gael politician who served as a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Meath West constituency from 2007 to 2024, and previously from 2002 to 2007 for the Meath constituency. He served as Minister of State from 2014 to 2023.[1]
English was elected secretary of the Fine Gael parliamentary party in September 2002, and became the party deputy Spokesperson for Arts, Sports and Tourism. In October 2004, he was appointed deputy Spokesperson for Justice and Community Affairs, with special responsibility for Drugs, Alcohol and Crime Prevention. He was a member of the British–Irish Parliamentary Assembly from 2002 to 2007. He served as deputy Spokesperson on Enterprise with special responsibility for Labour Affairs and Small Business from 2007 to 2010.
In January 2007, English was linked to a statement by fellow Fine Gael TD John Deasy, regarding Deasy's intention to run for the leadership of the party if Enda Kenny failed to bring the party into government following the 2007 general election. English dismissed these claims as being false.[3]
He was party deputy spokesperson for Finance, with special responsibility for Banking and Credit from October 2010 to March 2011.
He served as Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government with responsibility for Housing and Urban Renewal from May 2016 to June 2017. He served as Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government with responsibility for Housing and Urban Development from June 2017 to June 2020.[5]
In January 2023, news website The Ditch published a story claiming English failed to declare ownership of an existing home in his planning application for a new property in 2008. It also claimed he neglected to declare such ownership in the Dáil register of interests.[9][10] He resigned as Minister of State on 12 January 2023.[11][12]
References
^"Damien English". Oireachtas Members Database. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 13 May 2009.
^"Damien English". ElectionsIreland.org. Archived from the original on 11 September 2018. Retrieved 13 May 2009.
^Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Delegation of Ministerial Functions) Order 2020 (S.I. No. 579 of 2020). Signed on 1 December 2020. Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 9 December 2020.; Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Delegation of Ministerial Functions) Order 2021 (S.I. No. 71 of 2021). Signed on 19 January 2021. Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 17 March 2021.
