Mary O'Rourke (Irish: Máire Uí Ruairc) (born May 31, 1937), is a senior Irish politician. She was first elected as a Fianna Fáil TD in the November 1982 General Election and at each election until losing her seat in the 2002 election. She has served as Minister for Education (1987-1991), Minister for Health (1991-1992) and Minister for Public Enterprise (1997-2002). O'Rourke was deputy-leader of Fianna Fáil from 1994 until 2002. She is currently the leader of Fianna Fáil in Seanad Éireann. May 31 is the 151st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (152nd in leap years), with 214 days remaining. ... 1937 (MCMXXXVII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... Fianna Fáil - The Republican Party (IPA ; traditionally translated by the party into English as Soldiers of Destiny, though the actual meaning is Soldiers [Fianna] of Ireland[1]), is currently the largest political party in the Republic of Ireland with 55,000 members. ... A Teachta Dála (Irish for Dáil Deputy, pronounced chock-ta dawla) is a member of Dáil Éireann, the lower chamber of the Irish Oireachtas or National Parliament. ... The Irish general election of November 1982 was held on November 24, 1982, three weeks after the dissolution of the Dáil on November 4. ... The Irish general election of 2002 was held on Friday 17 May 2002, just over three weeks after the dissolution of the 28th Dáil on Thursday 25 April by President Mary McAleese, at the request of the Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern. ... The Minister for Education & Science is the chief person at the Department of Education & Science is engaged in a wide range of activities covering pllicy planning, quality assurance and providing a broad range of services for education in the Republic of Ireland. ... The Minister for Health & Children has overall constitutional and political responsibility for the Department of Health & Children, while his or her duties include the creation and assessment of policy for the health services. ... The Minister for Transport is the chief person at the Department of Transport in the Irish Government. ... The Seanad Chamber The Seanad meets in the former picture gallery in Leinster House. ...

Questions for Fianna Fail Canvassers

- Sorry where are the 2,000 extra gardai you promised - where is the metro - where are the 500 extra dublin buses - where is the second terminal at diblin airport - where are the 3,000 extra hostpital beds - how come class sizes are not down to 20:1 - how come you failed to deliver on Kyoto proticol - How come you wasted money on e-voting machines - how come you wasted money on developing Bertie Bowl - Ppars overran by 160 million - LUAS overran by 496 million - Thornton Hall purchased for 10 times its value - Port Tunnel overran by over 750 million - Overran of Refurbishment of Cork courthouse by 26 million - Punchestown wasted 14 million - Decentrailisation overrun 900 million - Road Development overrun 10.6 billion - M50 overrun 1.5 billion - Why did you do a deal with the curch that could cos the country €15 billion. - Why has phase 2b of Mullingar hospital been left idle for 10 years

Mary Lenihan was born on May 31, 1937 in Athlone, County Westmeath. She was the daughter of Patrick Lenihan, a Fianna Fáil TD. She was educated at St. Peter's, Athlone, Loretto Convent, County Wicklow, University College Dublin and Maynooth. She worked as a secondary school teacher before she began her political career. O'Rourke worked in local politics on Athlone Urban District Council between 1974 and 1987 and on Westmeath County Council between 1979 and 1987. In the second general election of 1982 she was elected as a Fianna Fáil TD for the Longford-Westmeath constituency, and from 1992 for the new Westmeath constituency. May 31 is the 151st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (152nd in leap years), with 214 days remaining. ... 1937 (MCMXXXVII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... WGS-84 (GPS) Coordinates: 53. ... Statistics Province: Leinster County Town: Mullingar Code: WH Area: 1,764 km² Population (2006) 79,403 Website: www. ... Patrick Lenihan was a Fianna Fail TD (member of parliament) in the Republic of Ireland in the early 1960s. ... Statistics Province: Leinster County Town: Wicklow Code: WW Area: 2,024 km² Population (2007) 114,676 Website: www. ... University College Dublin - National University of Ireland, Dublin - more commonly University College Dublin (UCD) - is Irelands largest university, with over 20,000 students. ... The Longford-Westmeath parliamentary constituency existed for many decades, but was dismantled in advance of the 1992 election. ... The Westmeath parliamentary constituency spans the entire area of the county in Leinster, taking in Mullingar, Athlone and Moate. ...

In 1987 she was appointed Minister for Education by Charles Haughey. O'Rourke and her brother, Brian Lenihan, became the first brother and sister in Irish history to serve in the same Cabinet. In the November 1991 Cabinet reshuffle, O'Rourke became Minister for Health. In February 1992 Charles Haughey resigned as Taoiseach and Fianna Fáil leader. O'Rourke contested the subsequent leadership election along with Michael Woods and Albert Reynolds. Reynolds defeated the other two contenders and O'Rourke was subsequently dropped from the her ministerial position, but was appointed to a junior ministry as Minister of State for Labour Affairs at the Departments of Industry and Commerce, and later Enterprise and Employment. This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Brian Lenihan (17 November 1930 - 1 November 1995) was a Irish Fianna Fáil politician. ... The Government (Irish: ) is the cabinet that exercises executive authority in the Republic of Ireland. ... The Taoiseach ( or [1]) — plural: Taoisigh ( or [1]) — or, more formally, An Taoiseach[2], is the head of government of the Republic of Ireland and the leader of the Irish cabinet, the rough equivalent of a prime minister under the Westminster System. ... The 1992 Fianna Fáil leadership election began in February 1992, when Charles J. Haughey resigned as party leader and Taoiseach. ... Dr. Michael Woods (born December 8, 1935) is an Irish Fianna Fáil politician and is currently a Teachta Dála for Dublin North East. ... Albert Reynolds (born November 3, 1932), was the eighth Taoiseach of the Republic of Ireland, serving one term in office from 1992 until 1994. ... A Minister of State, in the Republic of Ireland, is a junior minister of non-cabinet rank, attached to one or more Departments of State of the cabinet. ...

In 1994 Bertie Ahern became party leader and he appointed O'Rourke as deputy-leader. Following Ahern's election as Taoiseach in June 1997 O'Rourke became Minister for Public Enterprise, holding this position until she lost her Dáil seat in the 2002 election. The loss of her Dáil seat has been attributed to her association with and the championing of, the privitisation of Telecom Eireann, which proved a financial disaster for many small investors, due to the share price falling radically, post privatisation. During this term as Minster, she also became the subject of public criticism by Ryanair chief executive Michael O'Leary. She was also accused of lying to the people of Westmeath with regard to the provision of a National Transport Museum in the county. Reports favoured a site in Mullingar, but privately O'Rourke dismissed them. In Public she feigned support for the project. She has had an uneasy relationship with the people of Mullingar, Westmeath's other 'big' town. As a Minister she favoured projects in Athlone's general direction with the net result that come election 2002, she was completely ignored by people from the Mullingar side of the constituency. Following the loss of her Dáil seat, she was nominated to Seanad Éireann by Ahern where she became her party leader. She was said to be disappointed^{[citation needed]} when she wasn't offered the position of Cathaoirleach. Patrick Bartholomew Ahern (known as Bertie Ahern, Irish: ; born 12 September 1951 in Dublin) is an Irish politician. ... The Taoiseach ( or [1]) — plural: Taoisigh ( or [1]) — or, more formally, An Taoiseach[2], is the head of government of the Republic of Ireland and the leader of the Irish cabinet, the rough equivalent of a prime minister under the Westminster System. ... Dáil Éireann[1] is the lower house of the Oireachtas (parliament) of the Republic of Ireland. ... Telecom Éireann, or formally Bord Telecom Éireann - The Irish Telecommunications Board, was created by the Postal & Telecommunications Services Act, 1983 from the Department of Posts and Telegraphs, Ireland, under the leadership of the Minister for Posts & Telegraphs. ... Ryanair (ISEQ: RYA, LSE: RYA, NASDAQ: RYAAY) is an Irish airline headquartered in Dublin. ... Michael OLeary, CEO of Ryanair. ... The Seanad Chamber The Seanad meets in the former picture gallery in Leinster House. ... Cathaoirleach (pronounced, ka-here-loch) is the title of the speaker of the sixty-member Irish upper house, Seanad Éireann (pronounced sch-anad air-inn). ...

In January 2006 O'Rourke received the party nomination to stand in the 2007 general election. She narrowly defeated her nearest rival and Dáil election running mate, Councillor Kevin Boxer Moran of Athlone Town Council, causing a controversy when she described her political team as The next general election in the Republic of Ireland need not officially occur until 2007. ...

working like blacks.

I am a constituent of Mary's in Longford Westmeath. When her canvassers came to my home looking for my vote, I raised with them my concern about the bad effects of unplanned mass immigration to Ireland. One of the canvassers said to me: "Sure maybe you should emigrate yourself". As an Irish citizen I certainly did not appreciate being insulted in my own home by one of Mary's canvassers. Need I say that Ms O'Rourke just lost two votes in my household?

Two of her nephews, Brian Lenihan, Jr and Conor Lenihan, both the sons of her late brother Brian, are currently (2007) Ministers of State (junior ministers) in the government of Bertie Ahern. Brian Lenihan, TD Brian Lenihan Jr. ... Conor Lenihan (b. ...

Now in 2007, Mary O'Rourke is set for round two against Donie Cassidy. The former Minister for Transport however will not be popular with the people of Mullingar as while in office she never did anything for the town and it was her decision in the 1990's which stopped the re-opening of the much needed Mullingar-Athlone rail link. Many speculate that neither Donie nor Mary will get into the Dail this time since neither did anything for Mullingar while in office. However her popularity in the Athlone end of the constituency, where she is from, is still high and with Fianna Fail almost certain of a Westmeath seat, the battle will be an interesting one.

Political career

This page incorporates information from the Oireachtas Members Database Patrick (Paddy) Cooney (born March 2, 1931) He was educated at Castleknock College and was a senior Irish politician. ... The Minister for Education & Science is the chief person at the Department of Education & Science is engaged in a wide range of activities covering pllicy planning, quality assurance and providing a broad range of services for education in the Republic of Ireland. ... Michael Christopher Noel (Noel) Davern (born December 1945) is an Irish politician. ... Dr. Rory OHanlon (born 7 February 1934), Ceann Comhairle of Dáil Éireann. ... The Minister for Health & Children has overall constitutional and political responsibility for the Department of Health & Children, while his or her duties include the creation and assessment of policy for the health services. ... Dr. John OConnell (born January 30, 1930), was a senior Irish politician. ... The Minister of State, who has special reponsibilty for Labour Affairs, is officially styled Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (with special responsibility for Labour Affairs), and is a junior ministerial post in the Irish Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment. ... Eithne Fitzgerald (born 1950) is an Irish economist and former Labour Party politician. ... Alan Dukes (born April 20, 1945) is an Irish politician, a former leader of the Fine Gael political party and former TD for Kildare South. ... The Minister for Transport is the chief person at the Department of Transport in the Irish Government. ... Séamus Brennan (born February 16, 1948) is a senior Irish Fianna Fáil politician. ... Donal (Donie) Cassidy (born September 15, 1945) is a successful Irish businessman and Teachta Dála (representing Westmeath for Fianna Fáil). ... The Seanad Chamber The Seanad meets in the former picture gallery in Leinster House. ...