Ned O'Keeffe facts for kids
Ned O'Keeffe (born 1 August 1942) is an Irish former Fianna Fáil politician. He was a Minister of State from 1997 to 2001. He also served as a Teachta Dála (TD), which is like a member of parliament in Ireland, for the Cork East area from 1982 to 2011. Before that, he was a Senator for a short time in 1982, chosen by the Taoiseach (Ireland's Prime Minister).
Quick facts for kids
Ned O'Keeffe
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|
|---|---|
| Minister of State | |
| 1999–2001 | Agriculture, Food and Rural Development |
| 1997–1999 | Agriculture and Food |
| Teachta Dála | |
| In office November 1982 – February 2011 |
|
| Constituency | Cork East |
| Senator | |
| In office 13 May 1982 – 24 November 1982 |
|
| Constituency | Nominated by the Taoiseach |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Edward O'Keeffe
1 August 1942 Mitchelstown, County Cork, Ireland |
| Political party | Fianna Fáil |
| Spouse |
Ann Buckley
(m. 1965; |
| Children | 5, including Kevin |
| Alma mater | University College Cork |
Early Life and Education
Ned O'Keeffe was born in 1942 in Ballindangan, near Mitchelstown in County Cork. He went to Darra College in Clonakilty. There, he earned a special diploma in Social and Rural Science. Before he became a politician, O'Keeffe worked as a pig farmer.
Starting a Political Career
Before he was elected to public office, Ned O'Keeffe was involved in farming groups. He was the chairman of the County Cork branch of the Irish Farmers' Association. This experience helped him understand the needs of farmers.
In 1982, the Taoiseach, Charles Haughey, chose O'Keeffe to be a Senator. The Seanad is part of Ireland's parliament. Later that year, he was elected to the Dáil (the main part of the Irish parliament) in the November 1982 general election. He represented the Cork East area.
He kept his seat in the Dáil in every election until he retired in 2011. He was also a member of Cork County Council from 1985 to 1997. This meant he helped make decisions for his local area.
Roles in Government
Ned O'Keeffe held several important roles in politics. From 1982 to 1987, he was the Fianna Fáil party's spokesperson on Industry. This meant he spoke for his party on issues related to businesses and factories.
When Bertie Ahern became the leader of Fianna Fáil in 1994, O'Keeffe was given a new role. He became a deputy spokesperson for Enterprise and Employment. His job was to focus on commerce, science, technology, and small businesses.
After the 1997 general election, he was appointed as a Minister of State. This role was in the Department of Agriculture and Food, where he focused on food-related matters. He stepped down from this role in February 2001.
In 2007, O'Keeffe had a disagreement with his party. He chose not to support a vote of confidence in the Minister for Health, Mary Harney. Because of this, he temporarily left the Fianna Fáil party group in parliament. However, he rejoined the party a few months later in 2008.
He ran for the European Parliament in 2009 but was not elected. During this time, he spoke about his support for nuclear power and for building an incinerator in Cork Harbour. He retired from politics completely at the 2011 general election.
Family Life
Ned O'Keeffe was married to Ann Buckley, who passed away in 2017. They had five children together. One of his sons, Kevin O'Keeffe, also became involved in politics. Kevin was a member of Cork County Council and later became a Teachta Dála (TD) in the 2016 general election.
