Ned O'Keeffe facts for kids

Ned O'Keeffe (born 1 August 1942) is an Irish former politician. He was a member of the Fianna Fáil political party. He served as a Minister of State from 1997 to 2001.

He was also a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Cork East area. A TD is a member of the Dáil Éireann, which is the main parliament in Ireland. He held this role from 1982 to 2011. Before that, he was a Senator for a short time in 1982.

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 diploma in Social and Rural Science. Before he became a politician, O'Keeffe worked as a pig farmer.

Political Journey

Before he was elected, Ned O'Keeffe was involved in farming groups. He was the chairman of the County Cork branch of the Irish Farmers' Association.

In 1982, Charles Haughey, who was the Taoiseach (Ireland's Prime Minister), chose O'Keeffe to be a Senator. Later that year, in November 1982, he was first elected as a TD for Cork East. He kept his seat in every election until he retired in 2011. He also served on Cork County Council for the Mallow area from 1985 to 1997.

O'Keeffe held several important roles in his party. From 1982 to 1987, he was the Fianna Fáil Spokesperson on Industry. When Bertie Ahern became the party leader in 1994, O'Keeffe was given a role focusing on business and employment.

After the 1997 general election, he became a Minister of State for Agriculture and Food. He was responsible for food-related matters. He continued in this role until February 2001.

He ran for the European Parliament in 2009 but was not elected. Ned O'Keeffe decided to retire from politics before the 2011 general election.

Family Life

Ned O'Keeffe has five children. His son, Kevin O'Keeffe, also became a politician. Kevin was a member of Cork County Council and was elected to Dáil Éireann in the 2016 general election.

Ned O'Keeffe's wife, Anna O'Keeffe, passed away in 2017.