Andrew Doyle (politician) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Andrew Doyle
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Minister of State | |
| 2016–2020 | Agriculture, Food and the Marine |
| Teachta Dála | |
| In office May 2007 – February 2020 |
|
| Constituency | Wicklow |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 2 July 1960 Dublin, Ireland |
| Political party | Fine Gael |
| Spouse |
Ann Smith
(m. 1988) |
| Children | 4 |
| Alma mater | Rockwell Agricultural College |
Andrew Doyle (born 2 July 1960) is an Irish politician who used to be a member of the Dáil Éireann, which is Ireland's parliament. He was a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Wicklow area from 2007 to 2020. A TD is like a Member of Parliament in other countries. He also served as a Minister of State for Agriculture, Food and the Marine from 2016 to 2020. This role meant he helped manage important areas like farming and food for the country.
Contents
Early Life and Learning
Andrew Doyle finished his studies at Rockwell Agricultural College in County Tipperary in 1978. He was a young farmer when he won a special scholarship in 1981. This scholarship allowed him to travel to New Zealand. While there, he also played rugby in a place called Canterbury.
Family and Farm Life
Andrew Doyle comes from a long line of farmers. His family has been farming in County Wicklow for six generations! He still runs the family farm today. He is married to Ann Smith, and they have four children: three sons and one daughter.
Andrew's Political Journey
Andrew Doyle joined the Fine Gael political party in 1983. His first step into politics was when he ran for a seat on the Wicklow County Council in 1999. He served on the council until 2007 and was even its chairman from 2005 to 2006.
Becoming a TD
In 2007, Andrew Doyle was elected to the Dáil for the first time in the general election. During his first term, he spoke for his party on topics like farming, fishing, and food from 2010 to 2011. Before that, he focused on food and gardening from 2007 to 2010. He was re-elected in the 2011 election, getting the most votes in his area. He was elected for a third time in the 2016 election.
Working on New Laws
Andrew Doyle tried to introduce two new laws in the Dáil.
- One bill, called the Food (Fair Trade and Information) Bill 2009, aimed to make sure that grocery stores traded fairly.
- The other, the Electoral (Amendment) (Hours of Polling) Bill 2013, wanted to set clear voting hours for elections.
Neither of these bills became law, but they showed the issues he cared about.
Leading Committees and International Work
Andrew Doyle also led the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food, and the Marine. This committee looks at farming, food, and sea-related issues. In 2012, his committee wrote an important report about oil and gas exploration off Ireland's coast.
In 2013, when Ireland was in charge of the European Union Council, Andrew hosted a big meeting in Dublin Castle. He brought together politicians from 27 EU countries to talk about farming. Important leaders like the European Commissioner for Agriculture and the Romanian Prime Minister attended.
Minister of State Role
After the 2016 general election, Andrew Doyle became a Minister of State for Food, Forestry, and Horticulture. This meant he had special responsibilities for these areas. He was appointed by the Taoiseach (Ireland's Prime Minister), Enda Kenny. He kept this role when Leo Varadkar became Taoiseach in 2017.
Andrew Doyle lost his seat in the general election on 8 February 2020. He continued to serve as a minister until a new government was formed in June 2020.
