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Posts about Bernard Durkan

30 Nov 2007

2007 YFG National Conference

An article about Bernard Durkan seen on grizi.net/blog2

Also in attendance were Brian Hayes TD, Olwyn Enright TD and I missed the opening by Bernard Durkan TD and the debated chaired by Richard Bruton TD. The N7 before Roscrea was closed and I still don’t have a GPS device. ... Continue reading »

10 May 2007

Parties grilled online over tech policies

Seen on Silicon Republic

[10.05.2007 first posted on silicon republic] The Green Party has called for the permanent free broadcast of Dail proceedings once digital … spokesperson Bernard Durkan TD and Labour spokesperson Tommy Broughan TD. The politicians responded... Continue reading »

21 Apr 2007

Kildare North - change of FG personnel?

Seen on Dail Vote 07 (beta)

The battle for Kildare North could well focus on an internal struggle within Fine Gael. Without a seat, FF must be certain to gain what is the ‘extra’ new seat here. Independent by election winner Catherine Murphy looks sure to hold on, as does long time Labour TD Emmet Stag. That leaves the last seat for FG - but who? By-election candidate... Continue reading »

09 Mar 2007

Blueshirt Pot Calls Kettle Black In an uncharacte…

Seen on where angels fear and other oddities

Blueshirt Pot Calls Kettle Black In an uncharacteristic outburst of frankness, Kildare FG TD Bernard Durkan yesterday made the shocking revelation that there were TDs who should never have been elected to the Dáil. The man from Mayo is obviously trailing his coat for the ‘Every dog on the street knows that’ Award, 2007. In a debate on the... Continue reading »

10 Oct 2006

Smart crisis damaged telecoms regulation system,…

Seen on Irish Telecom News

Smart crisis damaged telecoms regulation system, committee told Posted October 10th, 2006 Categories: Broadband, Fixed Line Telephony, Internet, Residential, Business Last week’s Smart Telecom crisis, in which 55,000 customers were disconnected without notice, has damaged the regulatory system for telecommunications, an Oireachtas committee... Continue reading »

17 Sep 2006

Irish Broadband failure rate 8000 times higher…

Seen on Damien Mulley

Irish Broadband failure rate 8000 times higher than NI yet ComReg tells the Govt otherwise September 17th, 2006 ComReg lied lied lied to the Oireachtas when they testified in front of them a few months ago. They told them the failure rate in the Republic was the same as the North. It’s 0.0015% there and 12% here. 8000 times higher. I’m glad... Continue reading »


Who is Bernard Durkan?

Party: Fine Gael

Constituency: Kildare North

Bernard Durkan is currently a Teachta 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 the 16th Seanad by the Agricultural 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 Gael Chief Whip.

-Excerpt from Wikipedia page for Bernard Durkan

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