Michael McCarthy (politician)

Michael McCarthy (born 15 November 1976) is a former Irish Labour Party politician who served as a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Cork South-West constituency from 2011 to 2016. He was a Senator for the Labour Panel from 2002 to 2011.[1] He was the Labour Party spokesperson on Marine, and acted as spokesperson in the Seanad on Agriculture, Community and Rural Affairs, and Communications, Marine and Natural Resources.

Michael McCarthy
Teachta Dála
In office February 2011 – February 2016
Constituency	Cork South-West
Senator
In office 12 September 2002 – 25 February 2011
Constituency	Labour Panel
Personal details
Born	(1976-11-15) 15 November 1976 Dunmanway, County Cork, Ireland
Nationality	Irish
Political party	Labour Party
Spouse(s)	Rashel McCarthy (m. 2007)
Children	2
Alma mater	Cork Institute of Technology

Early life

McCarthy is the son of Phyllis and Michael McCarthy and lived in Dunmanway. At the time of the 1999 local elections, he was employed at Sehering Plough.[2]

Political career

County Councillor

He was elected to Cork County Council in 1999 for the Skibbereen LEA.[3] He was the youngest Labour candidate in the State.[4] He was the only Labour candidate elected to the Labour Panel in the 2002 Seanad Election, at the age of 25.[2]

General elections and Senator (2002–2011)

McCarthy stood unsuccessfully as a Labour Party candidate for the Cork South-West constituency at the 2002 and 2007 general elections. He was a Senator for the Labour Panel from 2002 to 2011 (re-elected in 2007).[1]

TD (2011–2016)

He was elected to the Dáil at the 2011 general election.[3] In 2012, he chaired a joint committee on the Environment, Cculture and Gaeltacht.[5] In 2013, despite Labour's membership of the coalition, he opposed the Government's campaign to abolish the Seanad.[6] He lost his seat at the 2016 general election.[3]

References

1. "Michael McCarthy". Oireachtas Members Database. Retrieved 17 April 2011.
2. "Michael McCarthy elected to Senate". archive.irishnewsarchive.com. Retrieved 2020-05-02.
3. "Michael McCarthy". ElectionsIreland.org. Retrieved 1 March 2010.
4. "Shared Article". archive.irishnewsarchive.com. Retrieved 2020-05-02.
5. "McCarthy to chair environment committee". archive.irishnewsarchive.com. Retrieved 2020-05-02.
6. "Irish News Archive for Irish Historical Newspapers". www.irishnewsarchive.com. Retrieved 2020-05-02.

Oireachtas
Preceded by P. J. Sheehan (Fine Gael)	Labour Party Teachta Dála for Cork South-West 2011–2016	Succeeded by Margaret Murphy O'Mahony (Fianna Fáil)