- Bernard Durkan
Bernard Durkan (born March 1945) is an Irish
Fine Gael politician. He is currently aTeachta Dála (TD) for Kildare North and Fine Gael Spokesperson for Communications & Natural Resources.Bernard Durkan was born in Killasser,
County Mayo , and educated at St. John's, Carramore, County Mayo.He was elected to
Dáil Éireann for the Kildare constituency in the 1981 general election, but lost his seat in the February 1982 general election following the defeat of the Fine Gael-Labour coalition. He was then elected as a member of the16th Seanad by theAgricultural Panel .Durkan regained his Dáil seat in the November 1982 general election, and was re-elected in the 1987, 1989, and 1992 general elections. When the Kildare constituency was divided, he was elected in the 1997 general election for the new constituency of Kildare North, and retained his seat in the 2002 election and the 2007 election.
During his career as a member of
Dáil Éireann he has held several Front Bench portfolios in Fine Gael, including Health, Food, Trade & Industry, Insurance, Overseas Development Aid and Human Rights. The last time the Party was in power Durkan served as Minister of State for Social Welfare.Durkan has also served as Chairman of the Joint Committee on European Affairs and as a member of the Public Accounts Committee. He has also acted as a Member of the Eastern Health Board, and Chairman and member of
Kildare County Council. Before receiving his current post he served as Fine GaelChief Whip .References
*oireachtas-database
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
