- Christy O'Sullivan
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Christy O'Sullivan Teachta Dála In office
May 2007 – February 2011Constituency Cork South West Personal details Born 27 November 1948
Clonakilty, County CorkNationality Irish Political party Fianna Fáil Spouse(s) Paddi O'Connell Website christyosullivan.com Christy O'Sullivan (born 27 November 1948) is a former Irish Fianna Fáil politician. He was a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Cork South West constituency from 2007 to 2011.[1]
From Clonakilty in County Cork, O'Sullivan first stood for public office at the 1999 local elections, when he stood as independent in the Skibbereen local electoral area and won a seat on Cork County Council. He contested the 2002 general election in Cork South West as an independent, when he won over 10% of the votes but was not elected.[2]
He was re-elected to the County Council at the 2004 local elections,[2] and in January 2007 he joined Fianna Fáil, and was imposed as a Fianna Fáil candidate for the 2007 general election, without a selection conference.[3] His popularity as a local councillor was hoped to strengthen the party's hopes of retaining the two seats which it had won in the three-seat constituency in 2002, and O'Sullivan was seen as a strong candidate to succeed Joe Walsh, who was retiring after 30 years in Dáil Éireann.
The strategy partly worked. Fianna Fáil increased its share of the vote, with O'Sullivan topped the poll, and he was the first candidate to win a seat. However, his colleague Denis O'Donovan, who had won a seat from Fine Gael in 2002, was defeated after just one term in the Dáil.[4]
Under the Local Government Act 2001, O'Sullivan vacated his council seat when elected to the Dáil. His son Christopher was then co-opted to the County Council in his place.
He was arrested on suspicion of drink driving on 2 June 2008, he has apologised after failing a breath test near Clonakilty.[5] On 4 November 2008, he was banned for driving for 1 year and fined €300 after pleading guilty to a charge of drink driving.[6]
He lost his seat at the 2011 general election.[2]
References
- ^ "Mr. Christy O'Sullivan". Oireachtas Members Database. http://www.oireachtas.ie/members-hist/default.asp?housetype=0&HouseNum=30&MemberID=2175&ConstID=45. Retrieved 12 March 2008.
- ^ a b c "Christy O'Sullivan". ElectionsIreland.org. http://www.electionsireland.org/candidate.cfm?ID=4765. Retrieved 12 March 2008.
- ^ Liam Reid and Barry Roche (30 January 2008). "Independent councillor in Cork South West declares for Fianna Fáil". The Irish Times. http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2007/0130/1169680966738.html. Retrieved 12 March 2008.
- ^ Con Downing (28 May 2008). "Cork South West". The Irish Times. http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2007/0528/1180134001792.html. Retrieved 12 March 2008.
- ^ "Cork TD embarrassed at drink drive arrest". RTÉ News. 4 June 2008. http://www.rte.ie/news/2008/0604/osullivanc.html. Retrieved 5 June 2008.
- ^ "Fianna Fáíl TD banned for drink driving". RTÉ News. 4 November 2008. http://www.rte.ie/news/2008/1104/osullivanc.html. Retrieved 5 November 2008.
External links
Oireachtas Preceded by
Joe Walsh
(Fianna Fáil)Fianna Fáil Teachta Dála for Cork South West
2007–2011Succeeded by
Jim Daly
(Fine Gael)Categories:- 1948 births
- Living people
- Fianna Fáil politicians
- Independent politicians in Ireland
- Teachtaí Dála
- Members of the 30th Dáil
- Local councillors in County Cork
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