Michael Noonan (born 21 May 1943) is an Irish politician and was Leader of Fine Gael from February 2001 to June 2002. He is currently a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Limerick East constituency.^[1] Noonan previously held a variety of positions in the governments of Garret FitzGerald and John Bruton.

Noonan was born in Limerick. He was educated locally, and at St Patrick's College of Education, Dublin and University College Dublin, where he qualified as a teacher. He taught for many years at the Crescent College in Limerick. He first held political office in 1974, when he was elected to Limerick County Council, and served on that authority until 1981. At the 1981 general election he was elected as a Fine Gael Teachta Dála (TD) for Limerick East, and has been re-elected at every election since.^[2]

Although Fine Gael was out of power in 1981, Noonan became spokesperson on Education. After just 18 months in the Dáil he was appointed Minister for Justice by Garret FitzGerald. As Minister he revealed the illegal phone-tapping of journalists' phones, carried out by the Fianna Fáil administration that preceded it in power. In 1986 he became Minister for Industry and Commerce. He took responsibility of the Energy portfolio when the Labour Party withdrew from the government. Fine Gael lost power at the 1987 general election and were confined to the opposition benches for another seven years. In opposition he became Party spokesperson on Finance, and later on Transport, Energy and Communications. From 1991 and to 1994 Noonan served on Limerick County Council again.

In 1994 the 'Rainbow Coalition' was formed and Noonan became Minister for Health. The department was embroiled in a scandal at the time regarding blood products contaminated with Hepatitis C virus. He refused to resign and remained as Minister until the 1997 election election. Fine Gael lost that election and Noonan became opposition spokesman for Finance. In 2001 Noonan and his colleague, Jim Mitchell, tabled a motion of no confidence in the leader, John Bruton. The motion was successful in ousting Bruton as leader, with Noonan becoming leader of Fine Gael and Leader of the Opposition. Jim Mitchell became deputy leader.

At the 2002 general election Fine Gael had a disastrous result, dropping from 54 seats to 31. Noonan resigned as Fine Gael leader on the night of the election, and was replaced by Enda Kenny, the runner-up to Noonan in his original leadership battle to replace Bruton in 2001. Noonan is still a TD, and was re-elected at the 2007 general election, and has served on Kenny's Front bench. He is Vice-Chairperson of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Constitutional Amendment and Children.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Michael Noonan's page on the Fine Gael website
• Speech by Fine Gael leader, Michael Noonan TD (April 2002)