Cormac Devlin

Cormac Devlin (born 30 August 1980) is an Irish Fianna Fáil politician who has been a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Dún Laoghaire constituency since the 2020 general election.[1]

Cormac Devlin

TD
Teachta Dála
Assumed office
February 2020
ConstituencyDún Laoghaire
Personal details
Born (1980-08-30) 30 August 1980
Dublin, Ireland
NationalityIrish
Political partyFianna Fáil
Spouse(s)Jennifer Devlin (m. 2014)
Children3
Alma materInstitute of Public Administration
Websitecormacdevlin.ie

Early and personal life

Devlin was educated at Harold Boys National School, Dalkey, Presentation Brothers College, Glasthule, and the Institute of Public Administration, Dublin. Devlin has been a full time public representative since the 2004 local elections, prior to that he was a manager with a local publishing company. Devlin became active in politics aged 16. He campaigned for Mary McAleese during her 1997 presidential campaign, before joining Ógra Fianna Fáil in 1998. In 1999, he was elected to the Board of Dún Laoghaire VEC, he remained a member of the board until 2014.[2][3]

Political career

2004 local elections

Devlin, aged 23, was elected to Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council in 2004, taking the second seat in the Dún Laoghaire local electoral area with 1,776 first preference votes and becoming the youngest ever Councillor on the council.[4]

2009 local elections

Devlin was re-elected to a second term on Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County County following the 2009 local elections, taking the fifth seat in the Dún Laoghaire local electoral area with 1,331 first preference votes.[5] He was the only Fianna Fáil candidate to be elected in the Dún Laoghaire local electoral area. The election was marked by some controversy. Throughout the campaign it was reported that then Minister Mary Hanafin was attempting to "shaft" Devlin.[6]

In 2012, Councillors Cormac Devlin and Barry Ward's use of a Local Government Education and Training Fund was reviewed on foot of a complaint from Shane Hogan, a public servant and Labour Party member. Hogan claimed their use of the fund was a breach of Section 168 of the Local Government Act, 2001. The report found neither councillor had breached legislation, noting it was the responsibility of council administrators to ensure payments for training and education went through proper procedure.[7] The report recommended Devlin repay €910 of the fees, which was since repaid. Mr. Hogan branded the report a “whitewash” and subsequently appealed the decision to SIPO. SIPO accepted the recommendations of the report.[8]

2014 local elections

Devlin was re-elected to a third term on Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council following the 2014 local elections, coming second out of twenty one candidates.[9]

Devlin during a public meeting in Glenageary in 2014.

2016 general election campaign

In March 2015, at an event attended by over 100 supporters, Devlin announced that he would be seeing a Fianna Fáil nomination to contest the next general election in the Dún Laoghaire constituency. He was endorsed by former Minister Mary O'Rourke.[10] Former Minister Mary Hanafin and Kate Feeney also indicated their intention to seek the nomination. The contest attracted widespread media attention being dubbed the "Battle of Blackrock II".[11][12]

In early September 2015, there was intense speculation the Fianna Fáil National Constituencies Committee would attempt to exclude Devlin from the Dún Laoghaire candidate selection convention on the basis of his gender.[13][14][15] Following the threat of legal action from Devlin, the committee backed down.[16][17]

Devlin was selected as a general election candidate on 28 September 2015, beating Mary Hanafin and Kate Feeney. Prior to the election, Hanafin was added to the general election ticket. The two candidates split the Fianna Fáil vote and the party failed to win a seat in the election.[18][19][20]

Councillor Devlin is considered to be "pro life", during the 2016 general election he told a Vincent Browne People's Debate he held pro-life views.

Devlin finished in sixth place with 4,665 first preference votes, behind Labour's Carrie Smyth, and his party colleague Mary Hanafin.

Chairperson of Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council

Devlin was elected as Cathaoirleach of Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council on 13 June 2016, he listed housing, promoting civic engagement and supporting local enterprise as his key priorities during his term of office.[21] In November 2016, Devlin took to a wheelchair for a day as part of a challenge to raise awareness of the issues facing people with a mobility impairment. He called on other public representatives to consider taking the challenge.[22]

2020 general election

At the 2020 general election, Devlin was elected as a Fianna Fáil TD for the Dún Laoghaire constituency. Justin Moylan was co-opted to Devlin's seat on Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown County Council following his election to the Dáil.

References
  1. "Cormac Devlin". Oireachtas Members Database. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
  2. "Councillor Cormac". Fianna Fáil. Archived from the original on 18 May 2015. Retrieved 10 October 2015.
  3. "Fianna Fail candidate Cormac Devlin: 'It's about persuading people to vote for someone new, someone young'". The Herald. Retrieved 10 October 2015.
  4. "2004 Local Elections Results: Dún Laoghaire". ElectionsIreland.Org. Retrieved 30 September 2015.
  5. "2009 Local Elections Results: Dún Laoghaire". ElectionsIreland.Org. Retrieved 30 September 2015.
  6. "Hanafin backs her man -- but ditches Devlin on party ticket". Evening Herald.
  7. "No ethics breach found over payment of councillors' college fees". The Irish Times. Retrieved 24 January 2019.
  8. "Ethics watchdog ends councillors' college course perk". Irish Independent. Retrieved 24 January 2019.
  9. "2014 Local Elections Results: Dún Laoghaire". ElectionsIreland.Org. Retrieved 30 September 2015.
  10. "Former minister Mary Hanafin intends to run in 2016 General Election". The Herald. Retrieved 11 October 2015.
  11. "Battle of Blackrock II". The Irish Irish Independent. Retrieved 12 October 2015.
  12. "I lost four stone to run in general election race". The Irish Irish Independent. Retrieved 10 October 2015.
  13. "Fianna Fáil opts to stick with party gender directive". The Irish Times. Retrieved 10 October 2015.
  14. "'We have a sound legal basis for what we have to do' - Fianna Fail on 'gendermandering' at selection conventions". The Irish Independent. Retrieved 10 October 2015.
  15. "'Our gender diktat is legally sound', claims Fianna Fail". The Irish Independent. Retrieved 10 October 2015.
  16. "Legal threat by FF councillor over female candidate directive". The Irish Times. Retrieved 11 October 2015.
  17. "Cormac fights for his slice of the Dún Laoghaire pie". The Irish Independent. Retrieved 10 October 2015.
  18. "Devlin beats Hanafin by four votes at FF convention". The Irish Times. Retrieved 12 October 2015.
  19. "Cormac Devlin gets Fianna Fail nod over Mary Hanafin". The Herald. Retrieved 12 October 2015.
  20. "Hanafin loses out in Dún Laoghaire selection to Devlin". RTÉ News. Retrieved 12 October 2015.
  21. "Council welcomes new cathaoirleach". South Dublin People. Retrieved 13 December 2016.
  22. "Seán O'Kelly fights for wheelchair users as Cormac Devlin is 'blanked' during 'Day in my Wheels' challenge". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 13 December 2016.

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