Frank Feighan

Frank Feighan (/ˈfiːən/; born 4 July 1962) is an Irish Fine Gael politician who has been a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Sligo–Leitrim constituency since 2020, and previously from 2007 to 2016 for the Roscommon–South Leitrim constituency. He served as a Minister of State at the Department of Health from July 2020 to December 2022. He previously served as a Senator for the Administrative Panel from 2002 to 2007 and from 2016 to 2020, after being nominated by the Taoiseach.[1][2]

Frank Feighan
TD
Minister of State
2020–2022Health
Teachta Dála
Assumed office
February 2020
ConstituencySligo–Leitrim
In office
May 2007 – February 2016
ConstituencyRoscommon–South Leitrim
Senator
In office
11 May 2016 – 10 February 2020
ConstituencyNominated by the Taoiseach
In office
12 September 2002 – 30 May 2007
ConstituencyAdministrative Panel
Personal details
Born (1962-07-04) 4 July 1962
Sligo, Ireland
Political partyFine Gael
Spouse
Elaine Mooney
​
(m. 2014)​
Children2
Websitefrankfeighan.ie

Early and personal life

Feighan was born in Sligo in 1962, but is a native of Boyle, County Roscommon. He is married and has two children. He lives in Sligo with his family.

He took part in the RTÉ charity show, You're a Star in 2006 to raise funds for a children's charity.

In 2008, Feighan appeared on the Irish times list of TDs with notable private portfolios. Ownership of multiple properties in addition to shares in mining companies, along with shares in financial institutions are listed.[3]

Political career

He was a member of Roscommon County Council from 1999 to 2004.[4] Feighan was first elected to the Dáil at the 2007 general election. He was the party deputy Spokesperson on Transport and Education with special responsibility for Rural and School Transport from 2007 to 2010. In July 2010, he was appointed as party spokesperson on Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs.[5]

He was re-elected at the 2011 general election. In government he voted with Fine Gael on the Roscommon Hospital issue on 6 July 2011, when his constituency colleague Denis Naughten voted against them and lost the Fine Gael party whip.[6][7] He told the Dáil he was "sincerely sorry" for breaking a pre-election promise in relation to the issue.[8]

On 13 July 2015, he announced that he would not be contesting the 2016 general election.[9]

Shortly before the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union he expressed his wishes for the Republic of Ireland to rejoin the Commonwealth.[10]

He was the Fine Gael Seanad Spokesperson on Mental Health and Older People.

In July 2020, following the formation of the 32nd Government of Ireland, Feighan was appointed as Minister of State at the Department of Health with responsibility for Public Health, Well Being and the National Drugs Strategy.[11][12]

In May 2021, Feighan's proposal to introduce minimum unit pricing for alcohol in Ireland was approved by cabinet ministers. Under this legislation, a 10 cent per gram of alcohol minimum cost would be installed, with the minister citing that for example a 70cl bottle of vodka would now cost at a minimum €20.71.[13]

A decision by the Department of Health on the suspension of the North Inner City Drugs Task Force in July 2021 was criticized by the group's director Professor Joe Barry. Feighan, as minister with responsibility for drugs strategy, defended the decision due to "governance shortcomings" in the group. Barry contested that the decision has been carried out to "remove every shred of independence from the task force by taking over the appointment of the chair and the appointment of members".[14]

He was criticised in July 2022 after privately meeting with an anti-cannabis lobby group, known as the Cannabis Risk Alliance. Dr. Garrett McGovern said "If Frank Feighan was willing to meet with one group, he should have met another group who are pro-cannabis legalisation and against prohibition".[15]

He was not re-appointed as a junior minister as part of the 33rd Government of Ireland in December 2022.[16]

References
  1. "Frank Feighan". Oireachtas Members Database. Archived from the original on 7 November 2018. Retrieved 28 May 2009.
  2. Sarah Bardon (27 May 2016). "FF leader selects three of Taoiseach's 11 Seanad appointees". Irish Times. Archived from the original on 28 May 2016. Retrieved 27 May 2016.
  3. Hennessy, Mark. "Fahey tops list of TD property holdings". The Irish Times. Archived from the original on 21 August 2022. Retrieved 3 May 2021.
  4. "Frank Feighan". ElectionsIreland.org. Archived from the original on 3 February 2009. Retrieved 28 May 2009.
  5. "Bruton & Noonan return to Fine Gael frontbench". RTÉ News. 1 July 2010. Archived from the original on 4 July 2010. Retrieved 3 July 2010.
  6. "Naughten votes against Govt on hospital motion". RTÉ News. 6 July 2011. Archived from the original on 9 August 2011. Retrieved 6 July 2011.
  7. "Naughten votes against Govt in Roscommon Hospital Dáil motion". Irish Examiner. 6 July 2011. Archived from the original on 23 September 2012. Retrieved 6 July 2011.
  8. "Naughten defies FG over A&E closure". The Irish Times. 7 July 2011. Archived from the original on 12 November 2011. Retrieved 6 July 2011.
  9. "TD Frank Feighan will not contest next general election". Irish Independent. 13 July 2015. Archived from the original on 14 July 2015. Retrieved 13 July 2015.
  10. "Ireland should consider rejoining Commonwealth, FG Senator says". Irish Times. 21 June 2016. Archived from the original on 22 June 2016. Retrieved 26 June 2016.
  11. "Appointment of Ministers of State" (PDF). Iris Oifigiúil. 2020 (57): 820–821. 17 July 2020. Archived (PDF) from the original on 15 November 2021. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
  12. Health (Delegation of Ministerial Functions) (No. 3) Order 2020 (S.I. No. 599 of 2020). Signed on 8 December 2020. Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 17 March 2021.
  13. McQuinn, Cormac. "Minimum pricing for alcohol to be enforced from January 2022". The Irish Times. Archived from the original on 4 May 2021. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
  14. "Standoff as drugs task force fight suspension by Department of Health". The Irish Examiner. 8 July 2021. Archived from the original on 10 July 2021. Retrieved 10 July 2021.
  15. McDermott, Stephen. "Anti-cannabis group met privately with drugs minister to discuss possible RSA-style ad campaign". TheJournal.ie. Retrieved 18 October 2022.
  16. "Carroll MacNeill and O'Donnell promoted to junior ministers". RTÉ News. 21 December 2022. Retrieved 21 December 2022.
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