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Paul Gogarty

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Paul Gogarty
TD
Gogarty in 2005
Teachta Dála
Incumbent
Assumed office
1 December 2024
ConstituencyDublin Mid-West
In office
May 2002 – February 2011
South Dublin County Councillor
In office
14 May 2014 – 1 December 2024
ConstituencyLucan
Personal details
Born (1968-12-20) 20 December 1968 (age 55)
Castlepollard, County Westmeath, Ireland
Political partyIndependent
Other political
affiliations
Alma materDublin Institute of Technology
Websitepaulgogarty.com

Paul Nicholas Gogarty (born 20 December 1968) is an Irish independent politician who has been a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Dublin Mid-West constituency since the 2024 general election. Gogarty was previously a South Dublin County Councillor for Lucan from May 2014 onwards. Before that, Gogarty was a member of the Green Party, and served as a Green Teachta Dála (TD) for the Dublin Mid-West constituency from 2002 to 2011.[1][2][3][4]

Political career

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Early local politics

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Gogarty joined the Green Party in 1989 as a student.[5] He ran unsuccessfully in the 1991 local elections for Fingal County Council.[6] He was first elected at the 1999 local elections for the Lucan local electoral area of South Dublin County Council.[7]

Dáil Éireann

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Gogarty previously contested the 1992[8] and 1997[9] general elections in the Dublin West constituency. He also ran at the 1996 Dublin West by-election caused by the death of Brian Lenihan Snr.[10] At the 2002 general election, he was elected to the Dáil for the new Dublin Mid-West constituency.[11] He was the first Green Party member to be elected in a three-seat constituency.[citation needed] After his election, Gogarty gave up his local council seat, in line with Green Party policy against dual-mandate and was succeeded by the late Fintan McCarthy.[citation needed] At the 2007 general election, he retained his Dáil seat, taking the second seat in the enlarged constituency.[12]

Following the Green Party's entry to government in 2007, Gogarty was appointed Chairman of the Oireachtas Committee on Education and Science.[13]

In 2002, 2003 and again in 2008, Gogarty called for the pay of members of the Oireachtas to be cut. In November 2003, he described the decision to raise TDs pay by 13% during the Celtic Tiger era, compared with 6% for pensioners and social welfare recipients as a "urination" on the less well off in society.[14]

On 3 August 2010, Gogarty wrote to the Clerk of the Seanad[citation needed] asking that newspaper claims alleging that Senator Ivor Callely had supplied phone expenses claims on headed paper belonging to a company which no longer existed be investigated. Gogarty appeared on the RTÉ Joe Duffy radio show discussing this issue.[citation needed] He went to Lucan Garda station the next day and requested an investigation.[15]

In November 2010, he brought his 18-month-old daughter to a Green Party press conference.[16] The following day, many callers to a radio show criticised his decision. He responded that his regular child minder was not available when the press conference was called.[17]

Gogarty's work in protecting educational investment during a period of cutbacks has been widely reported in the media, including a profile in The Irish Times in November 2010, which claimed that his contribution was recognised by admirers and detractors alike.[18]

2009 swearing incident

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On 11 December 2009, during his contribution[19] to a debate in the Dáil on the Social Welfare bill of the 2010 budget, Gogarty said to Labour Party TD Emmet Stagg: "With all due respect, in the most unparliamentary language, fuck you Deputy Stagg! Fuck you!"[20] He immediately apologised to the House for his use of unparliamentary language,[21] which was criticised by Deputy Lucinda Creighton, who demanded his suspension.[22] The incident was referred to a sitting of the Dáil committee on procedure and privileges, when it emerged that "fuck" is not included among the list of forbidden words set out in the Salient Rulings of the Chair, the document which regulates the behaviour and conduct of TDs.[23] Gogarty later clarified that the outburst was totally unintentional and not premeditated as some had suggested.[24] He also said that the outburst had to be taken in the context of his contribution during the debate that day[25] as well as a very turbulent and heated debate the previous night.[26]

Loss of seat and return to local politics

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Gogarty lost his seat at the 2011 general election, polling 3.47% of the first-preference votes and losing his right to reclaim election expenses.[27][28]

Gogarty withdrew from politics until 2014 after losing his Dáil seat, and let his membership of the Green Party lapse.[29] In early 2014, he decided to run for South Dublin County Council in local elections that June.[29] He considered returning to the Green Party but ultimately ran a "low key campaign" as an independent.[29] He was elected on the 11th count to the fourth of eight seats in the Lucan local electoral area.[30]

In September 2015, Gogarty announced his intention to contest the 2016 general election as part of the Independent Alliance in the Dublin Mid-West constituency.[4] He failed to be elected, receiving 5.9% of first preferences. He served as Mayor of South Dublin County Council from 2017 to 2018.[1] He ran in the 2019 Dublin Mid-West by-election, finishing third with 12.7% FPV.[31] He was also an unsuccessful candidate for Dublin Mid-West at the 2020 general election.[32][33]

Return to national politics

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Gogarty was a successful candidate in the 2024 Irish general election, securing a seat in Dublin Mid-West.[34]

Other activities

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In June 2011, he spent four days filming at the "Charity ICA Bootcamp" in County Louth. The show was broadcast on RTÉ One the following August. He raised €5,000 for Pieta House, a suicide prevention and awareness charity. From July to November 2011, Gogarty was involved in season 4 of the RTÉ television series Celebrity Bainisteoir managing Oughterard's Seamus Ó Máille GAA Club, Galway. He was beaten by Tony Cascarino's team.[35][36]

In August 2012, he released his debut single "Wishing on a Photograph" under the stage name of His Sweet Surprise.[37] His third single "Know You All My Life" reached number one on the 7Digital Download Chart in January 2013.[38] He released a music album on 17 February 2013.[39]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Paul Gogarty confirmed as new Mayor of South Dublin County". Echo.ie. Dublin: The Echo. 30 June 2017. Archived from the original on 2 July 2017.
  2. ^ "Paul Gogarty". Oireachtas Members Database. Archived from the original on 8 November 2018. Retrieved 19 June 2009.
  3. ^ "Cllr. Paul Gogarty". www.sdcc.ie. South Dublin County Council. Archived from the original on 18 June 2017. Retrieved 24 May 2017.
  4. ^ a b Pollak, Sorcha (18 September 2015). "Ex-Green TD Paul Gogarty to stand in general election". The Irish Times. Dublin. Archived from the original on 17 June 2021. Retrieved 18 September 2015.
  5. ^ "Profile of Paul Gogarty TD". Paul Gogarty's website. Archived from the original on 29 December 2015. Retrieved 19 June 2009.
  6. ^ "1991 Local elections – Castleknock". ElectionsIreland.org. Archived from the original on 21 February 2011. Retrieved 19 June 2009.
  7. ^ "1999 Local elections – Lucan". ElectionsIreland.org. Archived from the original on 21 February 2011. Retrieved 19 June 2009.
  8. ^ "1992 General election – Dublin West". ElectionsIreland.org. Archived from the original on 21 February 2011. Retrieved 19 June 2009.
  9. ^ "1997 General election – Dublin West". ElectionsIreland.org. Archived from the original on 15 February 2015. Retrieved 19 June 2009.
  10. ^ "1996 By-election – Dublin West". ElectionsIreland.org. Archived from the original on 15 February 2015. Retrieved 19 June 2009.
  11. ^ "2002 General election – Dublin Mid–West". ElectionsIreland.org. Archived from the original on 8 September 2009. Retrieved 19 June 2009.
  12. ^ "Paul Gogarty". ElectionsIreland.org. Archived from the original on 3 February 2009. Retrieved 19 June 2009.
  13. ^ "Parliamentary Debates". Houses of the Oireachtas. 8 November 2007. Archived from the original on 22 November 2021. Retrieved 19 June 2009.
  14. ^ "Politicians' pay". The Irish Times. Dublin. 11 November 2003. Archived from the original on 17 June 2021. Retrieved 29 May 2012.
  15. ^ "Garda Commissioner seeks Callely clarification". RTÉ News. 4 August 2010. Archived from the original on 17 June 2021. Retrieved 17 June 2021.
  16. ^ "Gogarty defends bringing baby to briefing". Irish Examiner. Cork. 24 November 2010. Archived from the original on 17 June 2021. Retrieved 24 January 2011.
  17. ^ O'Hora, Ailish (24 November 2010). "Green TD attacked for bringing baby to briefing". Irish Independent. Dublin. Archived from the original on 17 June 2021. Retrieved 24 January 2011.
  18. ^ "Green who often sees red". The Irish Times. Dublin. 11 November 2010. Archived from the original on 17 June 2021. Retrieved 4 January 2012.
  19. ^ Oireachtas, Houses of the (11 December 2009). "Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages. – Dáil Éireann (30th Dáil) – Friday, 11 Dec 2009 – Houses of the Oireachtas". www.oireachtas.ie. Archived from the original on 17 May 2021. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
  20. ^ "Gogarty sorry for 'unparliamentary language'". RTÉ News. 11 December 2009. Archived from the original on 8 January 2010. Retrieved 11 December 2009.
  21. ^ "Irish MP's 'F-word' sparks review". BBC News. 15 December 2009. Archived from the original on 19 April 2013. Retrieved 22 May 2010.
  22. ^ "Vol. 697 No. 5 Personal Apology by Deputy". 11 December 2009. Archived from the original on 17 December 2009. Retrieved 11 December 2009.
  23. ^ "Changes expected to Dáil code after use of 'f-word'". The Irish Times. 14 December 2009. Archived from the original on 19 October 2012. Retrieved 6 July 2010.
  24. ^ RTÉ - IRELAND’S NATIONAL PUBLIC SERVICE MEDIA (17 April 2011). "The Saturday Night Show: Paul Gogarty F - you explained". Archived from the original on 22 July 2016. Retrieved 24 May 2017 – via YouTube.
  25. ^ "YouTube". www.youtube.com. Archived from the original on 7 May 2016. Retrieved 24 May 2017.
  26. ^ "YouTube". www.youtube.com. Archived from the original on 1 August 2016. Retrieved 24 May 2017.
  27. ^ "Election Count – Saturday". RTÉ News. 26 February 2011. Archived from the original on 27 February 2011.
  28. ^ O'Brien, Ciara (26 February 2011). "Green TD Paul Gogarty concedes". The Irish Times. Dublin. Archived from the original on 17 June 2021. Retrieved 27 February 2011.
  29. ^ a b c Duffy, Rónán (2 March 2014). "Guess which former Green TD turned pop singer is back in politics?". TheJournal.ie. Archived from the original on 18 October 2014. Retrieved 18 October 2014.
  30. ^ "Lucan". Local Elections 2014 - Counts/Results. South Dublin County Council. 2014. Archived from the original on 18 October 2014. Retrieved 18 October 2014.
  31. ^ Duffy, Rónán; McGrath, Dominic (30 November 2019). "LIVEBLOG: Fianna Fáil and Greens closing in on likely wins, it's too close to call in Dublin Mid-West". TheJournal.ie. Archived from the original on 30 November 2019. Retrieved 30 November 2019.
  32. ^ Holland, Kitty (10 February 2020) [9 February 2020]. "Dublin Mid West results: Jubilant scenes as Gino Kenny takes final seat. Fine Gael's Emer Higgins also elected while Fianna Fáil's John Curran loses out". The Irish Times. Dublin. Archived from the original on 16 June 2021. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
  33. ^ "Election 2020: Dublin Mid-West". The Irish Times. Dublin. 10 February 2020. Archived from the original on 16 June 2021. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
  34. ^ "Dublin Mid West Election Results 2024". RTÉ News. 1 December 2024. Retrieved 1 December 2024.
  35. ^ "RTÉ's Celebrity Bainisteoirs announced". RTÉ. 15 July 2011. Archived from the original on 17 August 2011.
  36. ^ "Tony Cascarino wins Celebrity Bainisteoir - Hoganstand.com". www.hoganstand.com. Archived from the original on 22 April 2018. Retrieved 24 May 2017.
  37. ^ Pamela Duncan (31 August 2012). "Gogarty moves from Dáil to recording". The Irish Times. Dublin. Archived from the original on 17 June 2021. Retrieved 31 August 2012.
  38. ^ Kennedy, Jason (14 January 2013). "Gogarty's sweet surprise at chart hit". The Irish Times. Dublin. Archived from the original on 11 April 2013. Retrieved 23 February 2013.
  39. ^ Former Dáil member launches debut album this Sunday Hot Press, 2013-02-22. (subscription required) Archived 25 February 2013 at the Wayback Machine
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