Noel Davern

1997–2002Agriculture and FoodMinister for EducationIn office
14 November 1991 – 11 February 1992TaoiseachCharles HaugheyPreceded byMary O'RourkeSucceeded bySéamus BrennanTeachta DálaIn office
February 1987 – May 2007In office
June 1969 – May 1981ConstituencyTipperary SouthMember of the European ParliamentIn office
24 June 1979 – 25 June 1984ConstituencyMunster Personal detailsBorn
(1945-12-24)24 December 1945
Cashel, County Tipperary, IrelandDied27 October 2013(2013-10-27) (aged 67)
Waterford, IrelandPolitical partyFianna FáilSpouse Children3Relatives

Noel Davern (24 December 1945 – 27 October 2013) was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician who served as Minister of State from 1997 to 2002 and Minister for Education from 1991 to 1992. He served as a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Tipperary South constituency from 1969 to 1981 and 1987 to 2007. He served as a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for the Munster constituency from 1979 to 1984.^[1]

Career

Davern was born in Cashel, County Tipperary, in 1945.^[2] He was educated at CBS Cashel and at Franciscan College in County Meath. His family had a long political tradition. His father Michael Davern was a Fianna Fáil TD from 1948 to 1965, when he was succeeded in Dáil Éireann by Noel's brother Don Davern. After Don's sudden death in 1968, the seat remained vacant until Noel was elected to Dáil Éireann at the 1969 general election.

At the 1979 European Parliament election he was elected as an MEP for the Munster constituency. He did not contest the 1981 general election so as to concentrate his time as an MEP. However, he lost his seat at the European Parliament at the 1984 European Parliament election.^[3]

Davern was again elected to the Dáil at the 1987 general election. In 1991, he was appointed to cabinet as Minister for Education in a reshuffle that followed a failed attempy of Albert Reynolds and Pádraig Flynn to oust Charles Haughey as taoiseach. Davern's term in office was short-lived; when Reynolds succeeded as taoiseach in early 1992, Davern returned to the backbenches. In 1995, he became Opposition Spokesman on European Affairs when Bertie Ahern named his new front bench. Fianna Fáil were returned to government and Davern was appointed as Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture and Food. He served in that position until 2002.

Davern was one of only three members of the 29th Dáil who had first been elected in the 1960s, the others being Séamus Pattison, elected at the 1961 general election and Michael Smith, also elected at the 1969 general election.

He died on 27 October 2013.^[4]

See also

• Families in the Oireachtas

References

External links

• Personal profile of Noel Davern in the European Parliament's database of members

Political offices
Preceded by Mary O'Rourke	Minister for Education 1991–1992	Succeeded by Séamus Brennan