Mick Barry (Irish politician)

Mick Barry (born 17 September 1964) is an Irish politician who is a member of the Socialist Party. Since 2016, he has been returned by the constituency of Cork North-Central constituency as a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Solidarity–People Before Profit group.[1]

Poster on South Great George's Street, Dublin advertising a public meeting organised by Socialist Party member, Mick Barry.
Mick Barry

TD
Barry in 2016
Teachta Dála
Assumed office
February 2016
ConstituencyCork North-Central
Personal details
Born (1964-09-17) 17 September 1964
Columbus, Ohio, U.S.
NationalityIrish/American
Political partySolidarity–People Before Profit
Other political
affiliations		Socialist Party,
Labour Party (until 1989)
Alma materDublin Institute of Technology

According to the Irish Examiner, Barry has been "a leading figure in the Cork and national campaigns" against household and water charges.[2]

Dick Spring expelled Barry, alongside Joe Higgins and 12 others, from the Labour Party in 1989. Since then he has taken part in activist activities and moved to Cork from Dublin two years later.[3]

Barry was first elected City Councillor in June 2004 and re-elected in June 2009 and May 2014 (both times on the first count).[4] He also stood as a candidate in the Cork North-Central constituency at the 2002, 2007 and 2011 general elections.[3]

On 1 May 2013, gardaí arrested five members of the Campaign Against Home and Water Taxes, including Barry and fellow Cork City Councillor Ted Tynan of the Workers' Party, during a midday protest inside the St Patrick's Street branch of the Bank of Ireland in the city. People gathered on the street. Cllr Tynan said he felt a need to stand up against austerity.[5]

Barry has campaigned on a number of issues locally and nationally, notably the Anti-Bin Tax Campaign with the Householders Against Service Charges (HASC) in Cork. In support of local services in the Cork area such as the cutbacks in bus services, and against the building of a private hospital on the public grounds of Cork University Hospital,[6] and social housing.[7] He has called for a ban on home repossessions and considers the controversial Gateway employment scheme to be "slave labour".[8][9] He called for standing orders to be suspended[10] and proposed a motion condemning the jailing of five activists opposing a proposed tax on water.[11][12][13]

A founding member of the Anti-Austerity Alliance (AAA), Barry was elected for the AAA–PBP group, in the 2016 general election, on his fourth attempt.[14]

References
  1. "Mick Barry". Oireachtas Members Database. Retrieved 28 December 2018.
  2. English, Eoin (14 June 2012). "Free legal aid for those not paying €100 levy". Irish Examiner. Archived from the original on 12 March 2015. Retrieved 14 June 2012.
  3. Roche, Barry. "Socialist Party candidate raises red flag in the heart of Cork's north side". 19 February 2011. The Irish Times. (archive link)
  4. "Mick Barry". ElectionsIreland.org. 28 December 2018.
  5. "Councillors arrested at protest outside branch of Bank of Ireland in Cork". RTÉ News. 1 May 2013. Archived from the original on 12 March 2015. Retrieved 1 May 2013.
  6. "Green light to hospital is green light to greed" Archived 19 May 2009 at the Wayback Machine, corkpolitics.ie, 3 June 2009.
  7. "Housing protestors occupy Cork City Hall". BreakingNews.ie. 15 July 2014. Retrieved 15 July 2014.
  8. O'Sullivan, David (9 March 2015). "Cork Cllr wants to ban home repossessions". thecork.ie. Retrieved 9 March 2015.
  9. English, Eoin (24 June 2014). "Authority accused of using 'slave labour'". Irish Examiner. Archived from the original on 12 March 2015. Retrieved 24 June 2014.
  10. Riegel, Ralph (23 February 2015). "Council meeting abandoned as chamber occupied by anti-water charge protesters". Irish Independent. Retrieved 23 February 2015.
  11. Finn, Christina (23 February 2015). "Gardaí called to Cork City Council after water protesters storm meeting". TheJournal.ie. Archived from the original on 12 March 2015. Retrieved 23 February 2015.
  12. Roche, Barry (23 February 2015). "Water charges campaigners stop Cork City Council meeting: Group occupy main council chamber to condemn jailing of five Dublin protesters". The Irish Times. Retrieved 23 February 2015.
  13. English, Eoin (24 February 2015). "Council cancels meeting as water charge protesters storm chamber". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 24 February 2015.
  14. "Election 2016: Mick Barry". RTÉ News. 28 February 2016.
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