Eugene Regan

Eugene Regan
Judge of theEuropean Court of Justice
Incumbent
Assumed office 7 October 2015
Nominated by	Government of Ireland
Appointed by	European Council
Senator
In office 1 July 2007 – 24 April 2011
Constituency	Agricultural Panel
Personal details
Born	Eugene Alexander Regan (1952-06-12)12 June 1952 Dalkey,Dublin,Ireland
Political party	Fine Gael
Spouse(s)	Kista Regan(m. 1982; d. 2012) Janne Storgaard(m. 2017)
Children	2
Alma mater	University College Dublin University of Brussels King's Inns

Eugene Alexander Regan(born 12 June 1952)is an Irish judge who has served as a Judge of theEuropean Court of Justicesince October 2015. He previously served as aSenatorfor theAgricultural Panelfrom 2007 to 2011.

Early and personal life

He was educated atUniversity College Dublin,University of BrusselsandKing's Inns.Regan qualified as a barrister in 1985, commenced practice in 1995 and became aSenior Counselin 2005. He specialises in European law cases, many with a competition, state aid, public procurement or agricultural dimension.

During a career which began as aninterntoCommissionerPatrick Hilleryin 1973, Regan worked withAlan Dukesin the mid-1970s as an economist for theIrish Farmers' AssociationinDublinandBrussels.

Regan served in the cabinet ofPeter Sutherland,when the latter wasEU Commissioner for Social Affairs and Competition.Following his return to Ireland from Brussels, he spent eight years as general manager of Agra Trading, a Dublin-based company that trades agricultural produce internationally.

An ardent pro-European he has contributed to many publications on European law matters, both legal and media. He was also a leading advocate and campaigner in theAmsterdam TreatyandTreaty of Nicereferendum campaigns.

He lives inMonkstown,County Dublinwith his Danish-born wife, Janne and two daughters.

Political career

He was elected for the first time toDún Laoghaire–Rathdown County Councilon 11 June 2004, having spent in excess of €45,000 on his election.On his election to theSeanad,Regan was appointed by Enda Kenny as party Seanad spokesperson on Justice, Equality and Law Reform and was made a member of the Joint Committee on the Constitution and the Joint Committee on Justice, Equality, Defence and Women's Rights.

Regan, along withSeán Barrettand fellow CouncillorJohn Bailey,were selected as Fine Gael candidates to stand at the2007 general electionin theDún Laoghaireconstituency. Only Barrett was elected for Fine Gael. Regan received the support of formerTaoiseachGarret FitzGeraldwho intervened in a general election for the first time since leaving the Dáil in 1992. Support also came fromAlan DukesandPeter Sutherland.Regan served asCathaoirleachof Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown County Council from 2006 to 2007. He was elected to the Seanad on theAgricultural Panelon 24 July 2007.

He is known for bringing the issue of theWillie O'Dea affidavit incidentto the attention of theOireachtaswhich led to O'Dea's resignation asMinister of Defence.

He did not contest the 2011 Seanad election.