Gerard Craughwell

Senator
Gerard Craughwell
Craughwell in 2020
Senator
Incumbent
Assumed office
8 June 2016
ConstituencyLabour Panel
In office
10 October 2014 – 8 June 2016
ConstituencyCultural and Educational Panel
Personal details
Born (1953-11-22) 22 November 1953 (age 71)[1]
Galway, Ireland
Political partyIndependent
Other political
affiliations
Spouse
Helen Craughwell
​
(m. 1978)​
[2]
Children2[2]
Alma materLimerick Senior College[2]
Websitegerardcraughwell.ie
Military service
Branch/service
RankSergeant
Unit

Gerard Patrick Craughwell (born 22 November 1953) is an Irish independent politician who has served as a senator for the Labour Panel since April 2016, and previously from 2014 to 2016 for the Cultural and Educational Panel.[3][4]

Early and personal life

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Craughwell was born in Galway and grew up in Salthill.[2] When he was 16, he emigrated to the United Kingdom, settling in London, working in a pub before joining the Royal Irish Rangers regiment of the British Army.[2][5] After five years he returned to Ireland and joined the Irish Army, serving in the first infantry battalion and fifth medical company at Renmore Barracks in Galway and rising to the rank of sergeant.[2][5] He left the army in 1980 and took over his father's gas appliance maintenance business until it failed in 1983.[2] Aged 35, he entered further education as a student in Limerick Senior College, gaining a degree in economics accredited by the London School of Economics.[1] In 1995 he started teaching in Dún Laoghaire Senior College and became an assistant principal.[2] He joined the national executive of the Teachers' Union of Ireland in 2009,[5] and was president between 2012 and June 2014.[2][5]

He is married with two children.[2] He was previously a member of Fine Gael, but ruled out re-joining the party.[5]

Political career

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Craughwell contested the 2014 Seanad by-election which arose due to a vacancy on the Cultural and Educational Panel on the election of Deirdre Clune to the European Parliament, initially a symbolic gesture to protest against the usual practice of the government using its parliamentary majority to secure the election of its chosen candidate.[6] Craughwell secured nomination from members of the technical group and Fianna Fáil.[7] After controversy surrounding the appointment of John McNulty, the Fine Gael candidate, to a state board, Craughwell won the election on 10 October 2014.[8]

Craughwell tried twice to join the Independent Seanad group, but it refused to admit him.[9] He suggested the group, mainly Taoiseach's nominees, was compromising its independence and supporting the government.[9] He later joined the Independent Alliance.[10] He did not endorse Alliance members' criticism of the government's January 2016 appointment of David Begg, as Chair of the Pensions Authority.[11]

Craughwell ran in the Seanad election in April 2016 and was elected this time for the Labour Panel.[12]

Craughwell left the Independent Alliance during the government formation talks in 2016.[13]

After raising the HPV vaccine in the Seanad,[14] he distanced himself from anti-vaccine campaigners.[15]

Craughwell indicated that he would seek a nomination for the 2018 presidential election,[16] but later withdrew his intention, claiming that the main political parties were "working together to deny the citizens of this Republic the opportunity to select their next President by means of an election".[17] To run for the presidency he would have needed the support of four local authorities or 20 Oireachtas members to be nominated. In 2018, he had emailed councillors with information on how to avoid under claiming expenses, and defended the advice commenting that being full-time councillor was a poorly paid profession.[18]

In August 2023, Craughwell announced on Twitter that he thought the Gender Recognition Act 2015 was flawed, and that gender wasn't distinct from biological sex, and transgender individuals shouldn't be allowed into single-sex spaces that don't correspond to the sex they were assigned at birth.[19] Prior to the act's passage in 2015, Craughwell had criticized proposals to only allow unmarried transgender individuals to change their gender markers on government documents and to require documentation of medical transition prior to allowing such a change.[20]

Craughwell is a member of the cross-party Oireachtas Friends of Israel in the Oireachtas.[21]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Profile". gerardcraughwell.ie. Archived from the original on 7 March 2016. Retrieved 25 February 2016.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Minihan, Mary (11 October 2014). "Gerard Craughwell served in Royal Irish Rangers second battalion for five years". The Irish Times. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 25 February 2016.
  3. ^ "Gerard Craughwell wins Seanad by-election". RTÉ News. 10 October 2014. Archived from the original on 11 October 2014. Retrieved 10 October 2014.
  4. ^ "Gerard Craughwell". Oireachtas Members Database. Archived from the original on 1 August 2019. Retrieved 1 August 2019.
  5. ^ a b c d e "Gerard Craughwell: I'm ecstatic and deeply grateful to be elected to Senate". Irish Independent. 10 October 2014. Archived from the original on 16 October 2014. Retrieved 10 October 2014.
  6. ^ "This man wants to stop the 'silly charade' and run for the Seanad". TheJournal.ie. 8 August 2014. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 24 February 2016.
  7. ^ Sheahan, Fionnan; Griffin, Sam (6 October 2014). "Seanad poll in balance as Varadkar says he won't vote for McNulty". Irish Independent. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 24 February 2016.
  8. ^ "Craughwell wins Seanad by-election". RTÉ.ie. 10 October 2014. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 24 February 2016.
  9. ^ a b Ryan, Órla (3 June 2015). "Our newest Senator is 'dismayed' at being denied entry to independent group". TheJournal.ie. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 24 February 2016.
  10. ^ Kelly, Fiach (28 March 2015). "Independents alliance 'keeping options open' ahead of election". The Irish Times. Archived from the original on 2 March 2016. Retrieved 19 September 2015.
  11. ^ O'Brien, Stephen (24 January 2016). "Alliance divided on Begg appointment". The Sunday Times. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 25 February 2016.
  12. ^ Gartland, Fiona. "At least 22 Independent Alliance candidates to run in general election". The Irish Times. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 25 February 2016.
  13. ^ Prominent senator quits 'Independent Alliance' due to frustration over lack of involvement in Government formation talks Archived 21 May 2017 at the Wayback Machine by Niall O'Connor, The Irish Independent, 29 April 2016.
  14. ^ "Seanad Éireann debate". 29 November 2016. Archived from the original on 15 May 2018. Retrieved 4 June 2018.
  15. ^ "Senator denies being against HPV vaccine after backlash". Archived from the original on 5 September 2017. Retrieved 4 June 2018.
  16. ^ Brophy, Daragh (28 December 2017). "'I'm not playing games – this is about winning the presidency': Craughwell expecting to secure backing for Áras run". TheJournal.ie. Archived from the original on 5 January 2018. Retrieved 4 January 2018.
  17. ^ "Craughwell says he will not contest Presidential Election". rte.ie. RTÉ. 23 July 2018. Archived from the original on 23 July 2018. Retrieved 23 July 2018.
  18. ^ Duffy, Rónán. "Presidential hopeful defends advising local councillors about how to 'maximise' mileage expenses". TheJournal.ie. Archived from the original on 13 June 2018. Retrieved 13 June 2018.
  19. ^ Senator G Craughwell (5 August 2023). "I believe there are just two genders, Male & female. The Gender Recognition Bill is flawed. I accept the right for those wishing to transition. However, I do not accept that a male who declares he is female should have a right of access to female toilets, showers, etc". X (formerly Twitter). Retrieved 5 September 2023.
  20. ^ "Gender Recognition Bill 2014: Second Stage (Resumed) – Seanad Éireann (24th Seanad)". www.oireachtas.ie (in Irish). 28 January 2015. Retrieved 5 September 2023.
  21. ^ "Local Councillor Erin McGreehan given Seanad post by new Taoiseach". The Ditch. 13 September 2024. Archived from the original on 19 September 2024. Retrieved 21 November 2024.
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