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Ned O'Keeffe

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Ned O'Keeffe
Minister of State
1999–2001Agriculture, Food and Rural Development
1997–1999Agriculture and Food
Teachta Dála
In office
November 1982 – February 2011
ConstituencyCork East
Senator
In office
13 May 1982 – 24 November 1982
ConstituencyNominated by the Taoiseach
Personal details
Born
Edward O'Keeffe

(1942-08-01) 1 August 1942 (age 82)
Mitchelstown, County Cork, Ireland
Political partyFianna Fáil
Spouse
Ann Buckley
​
​
(m. 1965; died 2017)​
Children5, including Kevin
Alma materUniversity College Cork

Ned O'Keeffe (born 1 August 1942) is an Irish former Fianna Fáil politician who served as a Minister of State from 1997 to 2001. He served as a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Cork East constituency from 1982 to 2011. He was a Senator from May 1982 to November 1982, after being nominated by the Taoiseach.[1]

Early life

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O'Keeffe was born in Ballindangan, Mitchelstown, County Cork, in 1942. He was educated at Darra College, Clonakilty, where he received a diploma in Social and Rural Science. O'Keeffe was a pig farmer before becoming involved in politics.

Political career

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Prior to electoral politics, O'Keeffe served as chairman of the County Cork Irish Farmers' Association executive.[2]

In 1982, he was nominated by the Taoiseach, Charles Haughey, to the 16th Seanad. He was first elected to the Dáil at the November 1982 general election for Cork East. He retained his seat at each general election until his retirement in 2011.[3] He was also a member of Cork County Council for the local electoral area of Mallow from 1985 to 1997.[4]

O'Keeffe served in a number of frontbench positions. He was Fianna Fáil Spokesperson on Industry from 1982 until 1987. While Fianna Fáil was in government between 1987 and 1994, O'Keeffe remained on the backbenches.

Following an incident with RTÉ political correspondent Una Claffey in the Dáil bar in 1991, O'Keeffe apologised and said he had no option to resign but was persuaded to stay in order to prevent the government losing its majority.[5]

When Bertie Ahern became party leader in 1994, O'Keeffe was appointed deputy Spokesperson on Enterprise and Employment, with responsibility for Commerce, Science, Technology and Small Business. After the 1997 general election, he was appointed as Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture and Food with responsibility for Food.[6] He resigned as a minister of state in February 2001 after it emerged that he had voted on a Dáil motion without declaring that he had a beneficial interest in the subject matter.[7][5]

On 28 November 2007, O'Keeffe resigned the Fianna Fáil party whip as he refused to support a motion of confidence in the Minister for Health and Children Mary Harney.[8] On 26 February 2008, he was re-admitted to the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party.[9]

He was an unsuccessful candidate at the 2009 European Parliament election for the South constituency. In the pre-election debate on Today FM he voiced his support for the use of nuclear power and an incinerator in Cork Harbour.[10] He retired from politics at the 2011 general election.[11]

Arrest

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He was arrested on 27 April 2012, by members of the Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation (GBFI) on suspicion of using a false invoice to claim for mobile phone expenses while he was a member of the Oireachtas.[12] He was held for a number of hours at Cobh Garda station under section 26 of the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act 2001.[13]

On the 1 December 2014, O'Keeffe was found guilty of fraudulently claiming in excess of €3,700 in mobile phone usage expenses. He was fined €3,500 and given a 7-month suspended jail sentence for his crime.[14]

Family

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O'Keeffe's son, Kevin, was a member of Cork County Council and was an unsuccessful candidate at the 2011 general election. Both Kevin and his other son, Ciarán, a solicitor based in Mitchelstown, sought to be added to the Fianna Fáil party ticket for Cork East in 2015. However, Ciarán later withdrew his attempt. News that they were going head to head surprised party supporters in the constituency and it was seen in some quarters as being a potentially divisive battle which could have undermined the party.[15] Kevin O’Keeffe was elected to Dáil Éireann in the 2016 general election.[16]

His wife, Anna O'Keeffe, died in 2017.[17]

References

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  1. ^ "Ned O'Keeffe". Oireachtas Members Database. Archived from the original on 10 August 2019. Retrieved 14 October 2009.
  2. ^ Gubbins, Maurice (29 January 1982). "Farm leader to seek nomination". The Examiner. p. 9.
  3. ^ "Ned O'Keeffe". ElectionsIreland.org. Archived from the original on 18 May 2009. Retrieved 14 October 2009.
  4. ^ "Ned O'Keeffe". Irish Elections. Retrieved 13 November 2022.
  5. ^ a b "TD had offered to quit before". The Irish Times. 19 February 2001.
  6. ^ "Appointment of Members of Government and Ministers of State – Dáil Éireann (28th Dáil)". Houses of the Oireachtas. 9 July 1997. Archived from the original on 28 October 2020. Retrieved 12 January 2020.
  7. ^ "Resignation of Minister of State: Announcement by Taoiseach – Dáil Éireann (27th Dáil)". Houses of the Oireachtas. 20 February 2002. Archived from the original on 28 October 2020. Retrieved 2 November 2019.
  8. ^ Sheahan, Fionnan; Brennan, Michael (29 November 2007). "Harney survives confidence vote as rebel FF TD quits". Irish Independent. Archived from the original on 20 May 2011. Retrieved 29 November 2007.
  9. ^ "Ned O'Keeffe readmitted to FF Dáil party". RTÉ News. 26 February 2008. Archived from the original on 5 March 2008. Retrieved 26 February 2008.
  10. ^ European Elections Debate, South – The Last Word with Matt Cooper, Today FM, 25 May 2009
  11. ^ "Ahern, O'Keeffe not contesting election". RTÉ News. 24 January 2011. Archived from the original on 28 January 2011. Retrieved 24 January 2011.
  12. ^ "Former TD Ned O'Keeffe arrested in false invoice inquiry". RTÉ News. 27 April 2012. Archived from the original on 28 April 2012. Retrieved 27 April 2012.
  13. ^ "Ex-FF TD Ned O'Keeffe arrested". The Irish Times. 27 April 2012. Archived from the original on 28 April 2012. Retrieved 27 April 2012.
  14. ^ "Ned O'Keeffe given suspended jail term for false invoices". The Irish Times. 1 December 2014. Archived from the original on 2 December 2014. Retrieved 1 December 2014.
  15. ^ O'Riordan, Sean (27 May 2015). "Fianna Fáil avoids battle of the brothers in Cork". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 10 December 2021.
  16. ^ Kelleher, Olivia. "Profile: Kevin O'Keeffe (FF)". The Irish Times. Retrieved 10 December 2021.
  17. ^ "Thousands pay respects to late wife of former TD Ned O'Keeffe". Irish Independent. 19 May 2017. Retrieved 10 December 2021.
Political offices
Preceded by Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture and Food
(Agriculture, Food and Rural Development from 1999)
1997–2001
With: Noel Davern 		Succeeded by
Éamon Ó Cuív
Noel Davern
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