Michael W. D'Arcy facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Michael W. D'Arcy
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Senator | |
| In office 29 June 2020 – 28 September 2020 |
|
| Constituency | Agricultural Panel |
| In office 25 May 2011 – 30 February 2016 |
|
| Constituency | Administrative Panel |
| Minister of State | |
| 2017–2020 | Finance |
| Teachta Dála | |
| In office February 2016 – February 2020 |
|
| In office May 2007 – February 2011 |
|
| Constituency | Wexford |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 26 February 1970 Gorey, County Wexford, Ireland |
| Political party | Fine Gael |
| Children | 2 |
| Parent |
|
| Alma mater | University College Cork |
Michael William D'Arcy (born 26 February 1970) is a former Irish politician. He was a member of the Fine Gael political party. Today, he is the chief executive of the Irish Association of Investment Management.
Michael D'Arcy served in the Seanad (the upper house of the Irish parliament) and as a Teachta Dála (TD), which is a member of Dáil Éireann (the lower house). He also worked as a Minister of State in the Department of Finance.
Contents
About Michael D'Arcy's Early Life
Michael D'Arcy was born in Gorey, County Wexford, Ireland, in 1970. His father, also named Michael D'Arcy, was a TD and a Minister of State. His grandfather, Timothy D'Arcy, was a county councillor.
Michael went to Ballythomas National School and Gorey Community School. He later studied law at the University of London.
Michael D'Arcy's Sports and Hobbies
Before becoming a politician, Michael D'Arcy was a very active GAA player. He won an All-Ireland junior football title with Wexford in 1992. He also won five Wexford senior football titles with his local club, Killinierin. He played youth soccer in Wexford too.
Today, he is the chairman of the Kilanerin–Ballyfad GAA Club. Before entering politics, he worked as a teacher and a farmer. He continued to manage his dairy farm near Gorey even while he was a TD. Michael D'Arcy is married and has two children.
Michael D'Arcy's Political Journey
Michael D'Arcy first became involved in politics in December 2003. He was chosen to be a Wexford County Councillor for the Gorey area. He took over from his father, who had to step down. Michael was re-elected in the 2004 local elections.
While on the Wexford County Council, he was the council's vice-chairman. He also chaired the County Wexford Vocational Education Committee from 2004 to 2007. He was a board member for Gorey Community School and Kilmuckridge Vocational College. He also served as a director for the Wexford County Enterprise Board.
Becoming a Teachta Dála (TD)
Michael D'Arcy was first elected to Dáil Éireann in the 2007 general election. His father had also been a TD for the same area. From 2007 to 2010, Michael was a spokesperson for justice, focusing on equality. From 2010 to 2011, he was a spokesperson for communications, energy, and natural resources, specializing in telecommunications.
He lost his seat in the 2011 general election. However, he was then elected to Seanad Éireann in April 2011. In the Seanad, he became the Fine Gael party's spokesperson on Finance. He was re-elected to Dáil Éireann for the Wexford area in the 2016 general election.
Working on the Banking Inquiry Committee
Michael D'Arcy was part of the Oireachtas Banking Inquiry Committee. This committee was set up in November 2014. Its job was to find out why Ireland had a major banking crisis. After looking into everything and holding public meetings, the committee released its final report in January 2016.
Serving as a Minister of State
Michael D'Arcy supported Leo Varadkar when he became leader of the Fine Gael party in 2017. In June 2017, after Varadkar became Taoiseach (Ireland's Prime Minister), Michael D'Arcy was appointed Minister of State at the Department of Finance. His special role was in Financial Services and Insurance.
In 2018, Michael D'Arcy and Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe launched Ireland's first "green bond." This meant Ireland was one of the first countries to issue bonds to fund environmentally friendly projects. D'Arcy explained that these bonds would help pay for green projects in the National Development Plan. This plan included €23 billion for green projects over ten years.
In April 2019, D'Arcy and Donohoe launched Ireland for Finance. This plan aimed to make Ireland a top global location for international financial services by 2025. In June 2019, the government approved a new bill to make Ireland more attractive for private investment funds.
Also in June 2019, D'Arcy welcomed a new bill to help reduce rising insurance costs in Ireland. The changes aimed to create guidelines for how much money people should get for different types of injuries. D'Arcy believed that making these amounts similar to other countries was key to lowering insurance costs.
Returning to the Seanad
Michael D'Arcy lost his Dáil seat in the 2020 general election. However, he was then elected to the Seanad in April 2020. In September 2020, he left the Seanad to become the chief executive of the Irish Association of Investment Management (IAIM).
Some politicians criticized his new job. They pointed out that a former minister was now working for an organization that had tried to influence him when he was a minister. The IAIM stated that Michael D'Arcy would not be involved in any lobbying activities until 12 months had passed, following the rules.
See also
- Families in the Oireachtas
