Charles Flanagan

Charles Flanagan (born 1 November 1956) is an Irish Fine Gael politician who has been a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Laois–Offaly constituency since 2020, and previously from 1987 to 2002, 2007 to 2016 and from 2016 to 2020 for the Laois constituency. He was appointed Chair of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence in September 2020. He previously served as Minister for Justice and Equality from 2017 to 2020, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade from 2014 to 2017, Minister for Children and Youth Affairs from May to July 2014 and Chair of the Fine Gael Parliamentary Party from 2011 to 2014.[1]

For the American football coach, see Charles G. Flanagan. For the Major League Baseball player, see Charlie Flannigan.

Charles Flanagan
TD
Flanagan in 2022
Chair of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence
Assumed office
15 September 2020
Preceded byBrendan Smith
Minister for Justice and Equality
In office
14 June 2017 – 27 June 2020
TaoiseachLeo Varadkar
Preceded byFrances Fitzgerald
Succeeded byHelen McEntee
(Justice)
Roderic O'Gorman
(Equality)
Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade
In office
11 July 2014 – 14 June 2017
TaoiseachEnda Kenny
Preceded byEamon Gilmore
Succeeded bySimon Coveney
Minister for Children and Youth Affairs
In office
8 May 2014 – 11 July 2014
TaoiseachEnda Kenny
Preceded byFrances Fitzgerald
Succeeded byJames Reilly
Chairman of the Fine Gael Parliamentary Party
In office
9 March 2011 – 8 May 2014
LeaderEnda Kenny
Preceded byPádraic McCormack
Succeeded byDan Neville
Teachta Dála
Assumed office
February 2020
In office
May 2007 – February 2016
In office
February 1987 – May 2002
ConstituencyLaois–Offaly
In office
February 2016 – February 2020
ConstituencyLaois
Personal details
Born (1956-11-01) 1 November 1956
Mountmellick, County Laois, Ireland
Political partyFine Gael
Spouse
Mary Flanagan
​
(m. 1994)​
Children2
Parent
Alma materUniversity College Dublin

Early life

Flanagan was born in 1956 in Mountmellick, County Laois. His father was Oliver J. Flanagan, an Irish Fine Gael politician who served as Minister for Defence from 1976 to 1977.[2] He attended Knockbeg College at a secondary level and studied at University College Dublin and the Law Society of Ireland, where he qualified as a solicitor.[3][4]

Career

Flanagan was first elected to Dáil Éireann at the 1987 general election, succeeding his father. Following his father's death in 1987, he was co-opted onto his seat on Laois County Council. He served until the abolition of the dual mandate in 2004.[2]

He retained his seat at each election until losing it at the 2002 general election, but regained it at the 2007 general election.[5] He was party Spokesperson on Justice, Equality and Law Reform from 2007 to 2010, and was the party Spokesperson on Children from 2010 to 2011.[6]

He was Chairman of the Fine Gael Parliamentary Party from June 2011 to May 2014.[7]

On 7 May 2014, following the resignation of Alan Shatter as Minister for Justice and Minister for Defence, Flanagan was appointed the following day as Minister for Children and Youth Affairs to succeed Frances Fitzgerald, who assumed the Justice portfolio. On 11 July 2014, Flanagan was appointed as Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, succeeding the former Labour leader Eamon Gilmore.[8]

He supported Leo Varadkar in the 2017 Fine Gael leadership election,[9] and upon Varadkar's appointment as Taoiseach on 14 June 2017, Flanagan was appointed as Minister for Justice and Equality.[10] Flanagan was replaced as Minister for Justice by Helen McEntee on the formation of a new government with Micheál Martin as Taoiseach on 27 June 2020.[11]

Flanagan had previously said he intended to contest the next general election,[12] but on 25 September 2023, he announced that he would not run, citing the split of his Laois-Offaly constituency into two constituencies.[13][14]

British forces commemoration

As Minister for Justice in 2020, Flanagan was behind plans for a state commemoration of the Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC), the police force in Ireland while it was under British rule. This drew widespread criticism from politicians and the public, largely due to the RIC's role in suppressing Irish independence movements, and atrocities by the Black and Tans during the War of Independence.[15] A member of the government-appointed advisory group said they had "recommended a simple ceremony in Dublin Castle, but somebody lost the run of themselves and called it a State event".[15] The backlash forced Flanagan to defer the commemoration, but he committed to holding another in future.[16]

Flanagan supported a memorial wall in Glasnevin Cemetery that drew controversy for commemorating British soldiers alongside Irish revolutionaries. He condemned the decision to take down the wall as a "victory for bullies".[17] Flanagan has also defended his wearing of the remembrance poppy, a historically controversial emblem in Ireland, calling it an "international symbol of remembrance".[18]

Political views

In 2009, Flanagan expressed support for legalising adoption for same-sex couples, describing it as a "glaring omission" from a bill signed by Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern.[19] He supported the legalisation of gay marriage in Ireland's 2015 referendum, praising "a new and modern Ireland" and "a great day for tolerance, inclusion [and] pluralism".[20] He campaigned in favour of a Yes vote in the 2018 Irish abortion referendum.[21] In 2018, Flanagan delivered an apology in the Seanad on behalf of the state, to those who suffered as a result of homosexuality being criminalised.[22] In 2019, as Minister for Justice, Flanagan signed an exclusion order banning anti-gay preacher Steven Anderson from entering Ireland.[23]

Flanagan has criticised the Irish press for their coverage of Israel, accusing them of "demonisation" and "slavishly dancing to the Palestinian drumbeat for decades".[24] As Minister for Foreign Affairs, he resisted calls to expel the Israeli ambassador to Ireland, Boaz Moda'i.[25]

Personal life

Flanagan is married and has two daughters.[26]

References
  1. "Charles Flanagan". Oireachtas Members Database. Archived from the original on 19 April 2019. Retrieved 5 June 2009.
  2. Somers, Pat. "Charlie Flanagan's departure: A political dynasty which spanned 80 years in Laois and Offaly". www.leinsterexpress.ie. Retrieved 26 September 2023.
  3. Power, David (27 January 2017). "10 lesser known facts about Minister Charlie Flanagan". Laois Today. Retrieved 26 September 2023.
  4. "Election 2020: Charlie Flanagan (Fine Gael)". The Irish Times. Retrieved 26 September 2023.
  5. "Charles Flanagan". ElectionsIreland.org. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 5 June 2009.
  6. "Bruton & Noonan return to Fine Gael frontbench". RTÉ News. 1 July 2010. Archived from the original on 4 July 2010. Retrieved 3 July 2010.
  7. "Dan Neville elected as Fine Gael party chairman". The Irish Times. 14 May 2014. Archived from the original on 14 May 2014. Retrieved 14 May 2014.
  8. "Nomination of Members of the Government: Motion | Friday, 11 July 2014". Oireachtas. Archived from the original on 23 December 2017. Retrieved 22 December 2017.
  9. Power, David (19 May 2017). "Charlie Flanagan backs Varadkar for Fine Gael leadership". Laois Today. Retrieved 26 September 2023.
  10. "Taoiseach Leo Varadkar announces new Cabinet positions". RTÉ News. 14 June 2017. Archived from the original on 12 September 2017. Retrieved 14 June 2017. Charlie Flanagan has moved to become Minister for Justice in place of Ms Fitzgerald., ...
  11. Bray, Jennifer. "Eight high-profile Fine Gael ministers have lost their Cabinet positions". The Irish Times. Archived from the original on 8 July 2020. Retrieved 27 June 2020.
  12. Miller, Steven (23 December 2022). "2022 Remembered: Flanagan intends to contest next General Election, though uncertainty abounds over how constituencies will look". Laois Today. Retrieved 26 September 2023.
  13. "Fine Gael TD Charlie Flanagan announces retirement". The Irish Times. Retrieved 26 September 2023.
  14. "Charlie Flanagan: Politics is 'volatile', with people drifting to 'serious and dangerous fringe'". The Irish Times. Retrieved 26 September 2023.
  15. "Charlie Flanagan: Calling off RIC commemoration 'right thing to do'". Irish Examiner. 8 January 2020.
  16. "'This decision will cause hurt and upset to many people,' says Flanagan as RIC event deferred after Black and Tans criticism". Irish Independent. 7 January 2020.
  17. "Glasnevin memorial wall to be discontinued after repeated vandalism". The Irish Times. 4 February 2022.
  18. "Poppy 'not victory symbol'". The Irish Times. 10 November 1997.
  19. Correspondent, Shaun Connolly Political (4 December 2009). "Gay people push for full marriage rights". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 26 September 2023.
  20. "Same sex marriage Yes 'new, exciting and fresh'". The Irish Times. Retrieved 26 September 2023.
  21. "Charlie Flanagan on Twitter". Twitter. Archived from the original on 14 February 2020. Retrieved 30 April 2018.
  22. McAllister, Edel (19 June 2018). "Varadkar pays tribute to homosexuals who were convicted". RTÉ.
  23. "Anti-gay preacher Steven Anderson banned from Ireland". BBC News. 13 May 2019. Retrieved 26 September 2023.
  24. "Diplomacy: Some advice from the Irish". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. 17 June 2016. Retrieved 26 September 2023.
  25. "Flanagan: No plans to expel Israeli ambassador". Irish Examiner. 31 July 2014. Retrieved 26 September 2023.
  26. McGee, Harry; Kelly, Fiach. "Profile: Minister for Children Charlie Flanagan". The Irish Times. Archived from the original on 31 October 2020. Retrieved 15 July 2019.
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