Pádraig Faulkner facts for kids

Pádraig Faulkner (born March 12, 1918 – died June 1, 2012) was an important Irish politician. He was a member of the Fianna Fáil political party. He served in the Dáil Éireann, which is Ireland's parliament, for 30 years.

Who Was Pádraig Faulkner?

Pádraig Faulkner held many big jobs in the Irish government. He was a Teachta Dála (TD), which is like a Member of Parliament, for the Louth area from 1957 to 1987. He also served as a government minister in several different departments.

Early Life and Education

Pádraig Faulkner was born in Dundalk, County Louth, in 1918. He went to school at Dundalk CBS. Later, he studied at St Patrick's College of Education in Drumcondra, Dublin. He trained there to become a national school teacher.

Faulkner grew up in Dunleer, a town in south Louth. His father supported the Fine Gael political party. However, his mother was a strong supporter of Fianna Fáil. Pádraig decided to follow his mother's political views. He then joined the Fianna Fáil party.

Starting in Politics

Pádraig Faulkner first tried to become a TD in 1954. He ran in a special election for the Louth area, but he did not win. However, he tried again in the general election of 1957. This time, he was successful and was elected to the Dáil Éireann.

Important Government Roles

In 1965, Pádraig Faulkner got his first government role. He was made a Parliamentary Secretary. This is like a junior minister, helping out a main minister. He worked for the Minister for the Gaeltacht.

Minister for the Gaeltacht and Lands

In 1968, the new leader, Jack Lynch, made Faulkner a full minister. He became the Minister for the Gaeltacht. This role focused on areas where the Irish language is still spoken. At the same time, he was also the Minister for Lands.

Minister for Education

From 1969 to 1973, Pádraig Faulkner served as the Minister for Education. In this job, he was in charge of schools and learning across Ireland. He worked to improve the education system for young people.

Minister for Posts and Transport

After a break, he returned to the cabinet in 1977. He became the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs. This role involved overseeing mail and communication services. He was also the Minister for Tourism and Transport. This meant he looked after travel and tourism in Ireland.

Minister for Defence

From 1979 to 1980, Faulkner was the Minister for Defence. This important job meant he was responsible for Ireland's military and security. He served under two Taoisigh (leaders), Jack Lynch and Charles Haughey.

During a time known as the Arms Crisis, Faulkner was very loyal to Jack Lynch. He helped organize a welcome for Lynch at Dublin Airport. This happened after some people involved in the crisis were found not guilty in court.

Leading the Dáil: Ceann Comhairle

In 1980, Pádraig Faulkner was elected Ceann Comhairle of Dáil Éireann. The Ceann Comhairle is like the speaker of the parliament. Their job is to make sure debates are fair and that rules are followed. He held this position until 1981.

Later Life and Legacy

After the 1981 general election, Faulkner decided to step down from his role as Ceann Comhairle. He continued to be a TD, but he no longer held a government position. He retired from politics completely in 1987.

During his long career, Pádraig Faulkner helped create two important semi-state companies. These are companies partly owned by the government. They were An Post (the postal service) and Telecom Éireann (the telephone company).

In 1990, President Patrick Hillery appointed Faulkner to the Council of State. This group advises the President of Ireland. Pádraig Faulkner passed away on June 1, 2012, at the age of 94.