Catherine Byrne
Byrne in 2016
Minister of State
2016–2020Health
2016–2017Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government
Lord Mayor of Dublin
In office
5 June 2005 – 6 June 2006
Preceded byMichael Conaghan
Succeeded byVincent Jackson
Teachta Dála
In office
May 2007 – February 2020
ConstituencyDublin South-Central
Personal details
Born (1956-02-26) 26 February 1956 (age 68)
Bluebell, Dublin, Ireland
Political partyFine Gael
Spouse
Joseph Byrne
​
(m. 1987)​
Children5
Alma materDublin Institute of Technology

Catherine Byrne (born 26 February 1956) is an Irish former Fine Gael politician who served as a Minister of State from 2016 to 2020 and Lord Mayor of Dublin from 2005 to 2006. She served as a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Dublin South-Central constituency from 2007 to 2020.[1]

Political career

Byrne stood unsuccessfully as a candidate at the 2002 general election, she was elected on her next attempt at the 2007 general election. She was a member of Dublin City Council for the South West Inner City local electoral area. She served for a term as Lord Mayor of Dublin in 2005.[2][3]

She was party deputy spokesperson on Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, with special responsibility for National Drugs Strategy from 2007 to 2010. From July 2010 to March 2011, she was spokesperson on Older Citizens.[4]

She was the vice-chair of the Fine Gael parliamentary party from 2014 to 2016.[5]

On 19 May 2016, Byrne was appointed by the Fine Gael–Independent government on the nomination of Taoiseach Enda Kenny as Minister of State at the Department of Health and at the Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government with special responsibility for Communities and the National Drugs Strategy.[6]

On 20 June 2017, she was appointed by the government formed by Leo Varadkar as Minister of State at the Department of Health with special responsibility for National Drugs Strategy and Health Promotion.[7][8][9]

She lost her seat at the general election in February 2020.[10] She continued to serve as a Minister of State until the formation of a new government on 27 June 2020.

Personal life

Byrne was leader of St Michael's Folk/Gospel Group for 15 years and has completed a two-year Lay Ministry Course in All Hallows College, and also holds a Diploma in Catering.[11] In 2006, she was granted a coat of arms, by the Chief Herald of Ireland.[12]

References

  1. ^ "Catherine Byrne". Oireachtas Members Database. Archived from the original on 28 December 2018. Retrieved 28 December 2018.
  2. ^ "Lord Mayors of Dublin 1665–2020" (PDF). Dublin City Council. June 2020. Retrieved 18 November 2023.
  3. ^ "Catherine Byrne". ElectionsIreland.org. Archived from the original on 3 February 2009. Retrieved 8 February 2009.
  4. ^ "Bruton & Noonan return to Fine Gael frontbench". RTÉ News. 2 July 2010. Archived from the original on 4 July 2010. Retrieved 3 July 2010.
  5. ^ "We won't form government at any cost - Fine Gael". RTÉ News. 3 March 2016. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 4 March 2016.
  6. ^ "Appointment of Ministers of State" (PDF). Iris Oifigiúil. 2016 (47): 804–806. 10 June 2016. Archived (PDF) from the original on 14 November 2017. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
  7. ^ "Appointment of Ministers of State" (PDF). Iris Oifigiúil. 2017 (52): 882–883. 30 June 2017. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2 June 2021. Retrieved 22 October 2021.
  8. ^ "Appointment of Members of Government and Ministers of State – Dáil Éireann (32nd Dáil)". Houses of the Oireachtas. 20 June 2017. Archived from the original on 23 December 2020. Retrieved 14 January 2020.
  9. ^ Health (Delegation of Ministerial Functions) (No. 4) Order 2017 (S.I. No. 339 of 2017). Signed on 18 July 2017. Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 21 March 2021.; Health (Delegation of Ministerial Functions) Order 2018 (S.I. No. 116 of 2018). Signed on 11 April 2018. Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 20 March 2021.
  10. ^ Power, Jack (10 February 2020). "Dublin South-Central results: Fine Gael junior minister Catherine Byrne loses seat". Irish Times. Dublin. Archived from the original on 5 June 2021. Retrieved 5 June 2021.
  11. ^ "Catherine Byrne TD". Fine Gael website. Archived from the original on 29 October 2013. Retrieved 27 October 2013.
  12. ^ "Grant of Arms: Catherine Byrne". National Library of Ireland. 10 November 2006. Archived from the original on 13 August 2011.
Civic offices Preceded byMichael Conaghan Lord Mayor of Dublin 2005–2006 Succeeded byVincent Jackson
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