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Paudie Coffey

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Paudie Coffey
Minister of State
2014–2016Environment, Community and Local Government
Senator
In office
11 May 2016 – 27 March 2020
ConstituencyNominated by the Taoiseach
In office
29 July 2007 – 25 February 2011
ConstituencyIndustrial and Commercial Panel
Teachta Dála
In office
February 2011–February 2016
ConstituencyWaterford
Personal details
Born(1969-05-15)15 May 1969(age 55)
Waterford,Ireland
Political partyFine Gael
Children3
Alma mater

Paudie Coffey(born 15 May 1969) is an Irish formerFine Gaelpolitician who served as aMinister of Statefrom 2014 to 2016. He served as aSenatorfrom 2016 to 2020, after beingnominated by the Taoiseach,and previously from 2007 to 2011 for theIndustrial and Commercial Panel.He was aTeachta Dála(TD) for theWaterfordconstituency from 2011 to 2016.[1]

Political career[edit]

He was first elected toWaterford County Councilin1999for the Suir local electoral area, and re-elected in2004.He was an unsuccessful candidate at the2007 general electionfor the Waterford constituency, but was subsequently elected toSeanad Éireannin July 2007 as a Senator for theIndustrial and Commercial Panel.[2]

Coffey was elected for the Waterford constituency at the2011 general electiongaining 9,698 (18.1%) first preference votes and was subsequently elected.[2]On 15 July 2014, he was appointed asMinister of State at the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Governmentwith responsibility for Housing, Planning and Co-ordination of the Construction 2020 Strategy.[3]He lost his seat at the2016 general election.[2][4]

Coffey was instrumental in the introduction of the Construction Contracts Act 2013. The Act regularises payment terms between construction companies, and puts in place a dispute resolution process aimed at reducing days lost and costs on construction projects.

He wasnominated by the TaoiseachEnda Kennyto the25th Seanadin May 2016.[5]

Kilkenny Peoplecourt case[edit]

Coffey alleged he was defamed by theKilkenny Peoplenewspaper on 15 January 2016. He was nicknamed 'Coffey the Robber' after the newspaper published an article containing a press release by Carlow-Kilkenny Fine Gael TDJohn Paul Phelan.The comparison was based on William Crotty, who was an 18th-century criminal known as Crotty the Robber.[6]Coffey settled out of court on 31 July 2019.[7]

Retirement[edit]

On 16 December 2019, he announced that he was retiring from politics and would not contest the next general election.[8]

References[edit]

  1. ^"Paudie Coffey".Oireachtas Members Database.Archivedfrom the original on 7 November 2018.Retrieved13 February2010.
  2. ^abc"Paudie Coffey".ElectionsIreland.org.Archivedfrom the original on 21 February 2011.Retrieved13 February2010.
  3. ^"Simon Harris among new Ministers of State".RTÉ News.15 July 2014.Archivedfrom the original on 20 July 2014.Retrieved5 August2014.
  4. ^McGrath, Meadhbh (6 May 2016)."Revealed: The salaries TDs pocketed over 10 weeks of government talks".Irish Independent.Archivedfrom the original on 10 May 2016.Retrieved9 May2016.
  5. ^Bardon, Sarah (27 May 2016)."FF leader selects three of Taoiseach's 11 Seanad appointees".The Irish Times.Archivedfrom the original on 28 May 2016.Retrieved27 May2016.
  6. ^"Fine Gael TD was surprised by 'Coffey the Robber' headline on article".The Irish Times.30 November 2010.Archivedfrom the original on 1 December 2018.Retrieved1 August2019.
  7. ^"Fine Gael Senator Paudie Coffey settles 'highway robber' defamation case".Irish Independent.31 July 2019.Archivedfrom the original on 1 August 2019.Retrieved1 August2019.
  8. ^"FG's Paudie Coffey will not contest general election".RTÉ News.16 December 2019.Archivedfrom the original on 23 December 2019.Retrieved23 December2019.

External links[edit]

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