Marc MacSharry | |
|---|---|
) | |
| Teachta Dála | |
| Assumed office February 2016 | |
| Constituency | Sligo–Leitrim |
| Senator | |
| In office 12 September 2002 – 26 February 2016 | |
| Constituency | Industrial and Commercial Panel |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 12 July 1973 Dublin, Ireland |
| Nationality | Irish |
| Political party | Fianna Fáil |
| Spouse(s) | Marie Murphy (m. 2005; sep. 2016) |
| Relations | Ray MacSharry (Father) |
| Children | 3 |
| Education | Castleknock College |
Marc MacSharry (born 12 July 1973) is an Irish Fianna Fáil politician who has been a Teachta Dála (TD) for Sligo–Leitrim since the 2016 general election. He previously served as a Senator for the Industrial and Commercial Panel from 2002 to 2016.[1]
Early life
MacSharry was born in Dublin in 1973 to Ray MacSharry, the former Fianna Fáil Minister and European Commissioner, and his wife Elaine. He was educated in Sligo and at Castleknock College, Dublin.[2] Prior to being a TD, he ran his own estate agent company.[3]
Political career
Seanad Éireann (2002-2016)
Following his election to the Seanad in 2002, he was appointed Seanad Spokesperson on Communications, Marine and Natural Resources. He was re-elected in 2007 and was appointed Seanad Spokesperson on Finance.[4]
On 31 January 2011, prior to that year's general election, MacSharry was appointed to the Fianna Fáil frontbench by the new party leader Micheál Martin, as Spokesperson on Tourism and Arts. MacSharry was a candidate at the 2011 general election in the Sligo–North Leitrim constituency, but was not elected.[4] He was re-elected to the Seanad in April 2011 and was appointed Fianna Fáil Seanad Spokesperson on Health.
Dáil Éireann (2016-present)
In the 2016 general election, MacSharry was elected on his second attempt, topping the poll in the newly reformed Sligo–Leitrim constituency with 8,856 votes (14.2%), to take a seat in the constituency his father Ray had served in.
In 2018, the Dáil was suspended for ten minutes because of an allegedly anti-semitic remark made by MacSharry. While discussing the reduction of hours in a Garda station in Donegal town, MacSharry alleged that the government was like Nazi propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels, and shouted "Goebbels" at the government's benches. Minister for Justice Charles Flanagan and Minister for Health Simon Harris called on MacSharry to withdraw the remark, with Harris calling the comment "anti-semitic" and "an attack on the Jewish Community", but MacSharry's Fianna Fáil colleague, Ceann Comhairle Sean O Fearghail, did not call on MacSharry to withdraw the remark. [5]
In 2020, MacSharry was re-elected in the same constituency, albeit with a reduced share of 7,004 votes (11.5%), being elected on the final count over his Fianna Fáil running mate Eamon Scanlon.
MacSharry caused controversy in 2020 when he accused public servants of "laziness" and said they were "using the Covid-19 crisis as an excuse to “lie on the couch and watch box sets”. The Association of Higher Civil and Public Servants called on MacSharry to withdraw the remark, calling it "ill-informed and ill-considered" and requesting an apology from MacSharry, but MacSharry refused to, saying “Of course, such comments aren’t popular, but it needs to be said.”[6][7]
MacSharry criticised Fáilte Ireland and his Fianna Fáil colleague Stephen Donnelly on the public health guidelines they had issued regarding the opening of pubs and restaurants across Ireland, comparing them to the East German intelligence agency the Stasi.[8][9]
In January 2021, MacSharry attracted further controversy for his comments made during a Fianna Fáil parliamentary party meeting, in which he said that "if the Ku Klux Klan were selling a [Covid-19] vaccine, Ireland should buy it".[10][11]
Personal life
MacSharry was married to Marie Murphy from 2005 to 2016, when they separated. MacSharry has three children.
MacSharry's cousin Tom MacSharry was previously a councillor on Sligo Borough Council between 2004 and 2009, and was Mayor of Sligo from 2006 to 2007.
See also
References
- ^ "Marc MacSharry". Oireachtas Members Database. Retrieved 20 February 2010.
- ^ Collins, Stephen (2011). Nealon's Guide to the 31st Dáil and 24th Seanad. Dublin: Gill & Macmillan. p. 204. ISBN 9780717150595.
- ^ "Profile: Sen Marc Mac Sharry". The Anglo-Celt. 11 February 2016.
- ^ a b "Marc MacSharry". ElectionsIreland.org. Retrieved 20 February 2010.
- ^ O'Halloran, Marie. "Dáil suspended following row over 'anti-Semitic' Nazi remark". The Irish Times. Retrieved 14 February 2021.
- ^ Finn, Christina. "'It's not popular, but needs to be said': MacSharry defends saying some civil servants using lockdown to watch box sets". The Journal. Retrieved 14 February 2021.
- ^ Bray, Jennifer; Bowers, Shauna; Hutton, Brian. "'Huge anger' as public servants and Fianna Fáil react to Marc MacSharry 'box sets' remark". The Irish Times. Retrieved 14 February 2021.
- ^ McConnell, Daniel; Loughlin, Elaine; Glennon, Nicole. "Donnelly under fire from publicans and backbenchers over 'crazy' new food recording rules". The Irish Examiner. Retrieved 14 February 2021.
- ^ Wall, Eva. "Fianna Fail TD Marc MacSharry urges Government to alter new 'Stasi-like' guidelines for pubs". Extra.ie. Retrieved 14 February 2021.
- ^ Molony, Senan. "Fianna Fáil TD apologises for saying Ireland should buy Covid vaccine from the Ku Klux Klan if necessary". The Irish Independent. Retrieved 14 February 2021.
- ^ "TD apologises for saying Ireland should buy vaccines from Ku Klux Klan". Breakingnews.ie. Retrieved 14 February 2021.
External links