Seán Power (politician)

Seán Power
Minister of State
2008–2009	Communications, Energy and Natural Resources
2007–2008	Justice, Equality and Law Reform
2004–2007	Health and Children
Teachta Dála
In office June 1997 – February 2011
Constituency	Kildare South
In office June 1989 – May 1997
Constituency	Kildare
Personal details
Born	(1960-10-14) 14 October 1960 (age 64) County Kildare, Ireland
Political party	Fianna Fáil
Parent	Paddy Power (father)

Seán Power (born 14 October 1960) is an Irish former Fianna Fáil politician. He was a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Kildare South constituency.^[1]

Power was born in Caragh, near Naas in County Kildare and was educated locally at the Christian Brothers School in Naas. His father Paddy Power was a TD, MEP and cabinet minister. His brother, J.J. Power is a former Green Party member of Kildare County Council.

He was first elected to Dáil Éireann at the 1989 general election, as a Fianna Fáil TD for the Kildare constituency, retaining his father's seat. He was re-elected at 1992, 1997, 2002 and 2007 general elections.^[2] He was a member of Kildare County Council from 1999 to 2004

In 1991, Power was a key member of the so-called "gang of four" which proposed a motion of no confidence in the Taoiseach, and the leader of his party, Charles Haughey. The other members of the group were Noel Dempsey, Liam Fitzgerald and M. J. Nolan. That incident led to Albert Reynolds's first bid for the leadership and to Haughey's eventual resignation in 1992. When Reynolds eventually became Taoiseach, Power was appointed Assistant Chief Whip. He served as a member of the Joint Committees on European Affairs and on the Environment and Local Government.

In Bertie Ahern's 2004 reshuffle, Power was appointed as Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children with special responsibility for Health Promotion. After the 2007 general election he was appointed as Minister of State at the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform with special responsibility for Equality.

On 13 May 2008, shortly after Brian Cowen became Taoiseach, he was appointed as Minister of State at the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources with special responsibility for Information Society and Natural Resources. He served in this position until April 2009 when he was dropped in a reshuffle where the number of junior ministers was reduced from 20 to 15.

He lost his seat at the 2011 general election.^[2] He was elected to Kildare County Council for the Kildare–Newbridge area in May 2014. He did not contest the 2019 local elections.

See also

• Families in the Oireachtas

References

1. "Seán Power". Oireachtas Members Database. Archived from the original on 15 August 2019. Retrieved 20 October 2009.
2. "Seán Power". ElectionsIreland.org. Archived from the original on 22 September 2018. Retrieved 20 October 2009.

Political offices
Preceded by Ivor Callely Tim O'Malley	Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children 2004–2007 With: Tim O'Malley	Succeeded by Pat "the Cope" Gallagher
Preceded by Frank Fahey	Minister of State at the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform 2007–2008	Succeeded by John Moloney
Preceded by Tony Killeen	Minister of State at the Department of the Communications, Energy and Natural Resources 2008–2009	Succeeded by Conor Lenihan