Joe Walsh
Minister for Agriculture and Food
In office
26 June 1997 – 29 September 2004
TaoiseachBertie Ahern
Preceded byIvan Yates
Succeeded byMary Coughlan
In office
11 February 1992 – 15 December 1994
TaoiseachAlbert Reynolds
Preceded byMichael Woods
Succeeded byIvan Yates
Minister of State
1987–1992Agriculture and Food
Teachta Dála
In office
February 1982 – May 2007
In office
June 1977 – June 1981
ConstituencyCork South-West
Senator
In office
12 October 1981 – 26 February 1982
ConstituencyCultural and Educational Panel
Personal details
Born(1943-05-01)1 May 1943
Ballineen, County Cork, Ireland
Died9 November 2014(2014-11-09) (aged 71)
Wilton, Cork, Ireland
Political partyFianna Fáil
Spouse
Marie Donegan
​
(m. 1970)​
Children5
EducationSt Finbarr's College, Cork
Alma materUniversity College Cork

Joseph Walsh (1 May 1943 – 9 November 2014) was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician who served as Minister for Agriculture and Food from 1992 to 1994 and 1997 to 2004. He served as a Teachta Dála (TD) for Cork South-West constituency from 1977 to 1981 and 1982 to 2007. He was a Senator elected by the Cultural and Educational Panel from 1981 to 1982.[1]

Early life

Walsh was born in May 1943 in Ballineen, County Cork, the third child of five sons and three daughters of Richard Walsh, a farmer of Kilmoylerane, Ballinascarthy, County Cork, and his wife Margaret (née Dullea).[2] He was educated at St Finbarr's College, Cork and University College Cork, where he qualified with a degree in Dairy Science in 1970. During his time in university he became involved in politics, establishing the first Fianna Fáil cumann in the university. Walsh began his career as a researcher in the National Dairy Research Centre at Moorepark, near Fermoy, before becoming Managing Director of Strand Dairies in Clonakilty, County Cork.[2]

Political career

He began his political career when he was elected a member of Cork County Council in 1974, remaining on the council until the 1991 local elections. He was elected to Dáil Éireann on his first, attempt when he was returned as a Fianna Fáil TD for Cork South-West at the 1977 general election. Walsh lost his seat at the 1981 general election, but secured election by the Cultural and Educational Panel to Seanad Éireann. He was re-elected to the Dáil at the February 1982 general election and retained his seat at every subsequent election until his retirement in 2007.[3]

In the 1980s, Walsh was one of the Gang of 22 who opposed Charles Haughey's leadership of Fianna Fáil. In spite of this, he was appointed Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture and Food when Haughey returned as Taoiseach after the 1987 general election. In 1989, he was a key figure in the negotiations which led to the formation of the historic Fianna Fáil-Progressive Democrats coalition government.[4] He remained as Minister of State until 1992 when Albert Reynolds became Taoiseach. Walsh was appointed to the Cabinet as Minister for Agriculture and Food in February of the same year. He remained in that position until December 1994. In 1997 Fianna Fáil returned to power and Walsh was again appointed Minister for Agriculture and Food in Bertie Ahern's government.

When Ireland was confronted with a foot-and-mouth disease crisis in 2001, Walsh introduced control measures to prevent a full-scale outbreak, such as curtailing the movement of animals with football games and the postponement of sporting events including 2001 Six Nations Championship.[5]

He received several awards, including the Légion d'honneur[6] and the Grand Cross of the Agricultural Order of Merit of Spain.[7] On 13 August 2004, he announced that he would retire from the Cabinet after spending 14 years of his career at the Department of Agriculture.[8]

He sat on the board of Bank of Ireland, and received an annual Oireachtas pension payments of €119,177.[9]

Death

Walsh died at Cork University Hospital on 9 November 2014, after a "short illness".[10]

References

  1. ^ "Joe Walsh". Oireachtas Members Database. Archived from the original on 15 June 2018. Retrieved 27 July 2010.
  2. ^ a b Clavin, Terry. "Walsh, Joe". Dictionary of Irish Biography. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
  3. ^ "Joe Walsh". ElectionsIreland.org. Archived from the original on 15 June 2018. Retrieved 27 July 2010.
  4. ^ Downing, John (10 November 2014). "A courteous gentleman and winner of so many big battles". Irish Independent. Archived from the original on 17 December 2014. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  5. ^ Murray, Sean (1 March 2020). "'I'm acutely aware of the danger': When Ireland entered crisis mode for Foot and Mouth disease in 2001". TheJournal.ie. Archived from the original on 26 September 2020. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  6. ^ "France's award for Joe Walsh". Irish Independent. 4 June 2002. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  7. ^ Ryan, Ray (7 February 2003). "Walsh receives award from king of Spain". Irish Examiner. Archived from the original on 16 September 2020. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  8. ^ "Walsh to leave Govt post". Irish Examiner. 13 August 2004. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  9. ^ Kelly, Fiach (10 November 2011). "Thanks big fellas: Ahern and Cowen get massive pensions". Irish Independent. Archived from the original on 14 September 2012. Retrieved 10 November 2011.
  10. ^ "Former agriculture minister Joe Walsh dies". RTÉ News. 9 November 2014. Archived from the original on 9 November 2014. Retrieved 9 November 2014.
Political offices Preceded byPatrick HegartyPaul Connaughton Snr Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture and Food 1987–1992 With: Séamus Kirk Succeeded byJohn BrowneLiam Hyland Preceded byMichael Woods Minister for Agriculture and Food 1992–1994 Succeeded byIvan Yates Preceded byIvan Yates Minister for Agriculture and Food 1997–2004 Succeeded byMary Coughlan
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