Pat Rabbitte (born May 18, 1949) is a senior Irish politician, who has been the leader of the Labour Party since 2002. He has been a Teachta Dála for Dublin South West since 1989 and is also the Labour Party spokesperson on Northern Ireland. May 18 is the 138th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (139th in leap years). ... 1949 (MCMXLIX) was a common year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1949 calendar). ... Logo of the Irish Labour Party The Irish Labour Party (Irish: Páirti an Lucht Oibre) is the third largest political party in the Republic of Ireland. ... 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. ... Dublin South West is a parliamentary constituency in the Republic of Ireland. ... Dieu et mon droit (motto) (French for God and my right)2 Northern Irelands location within the UK Main language English Other recognised languages Irish, Ulster Scots Capital and largest city Belfast First Minister Office suspended Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Peter Hain MP Area  - Total Ranked 4th...

Early life

Pat Rabbitte was born in Claremorris, County Mayo in 1949. He was educated locally at St. Colman's College, Claremorris before emigrating to Britain to find employment. He returned shortly afterwards to attend University College Galway. While at university Rabbitte became involved in several college movements before serving as President of the Students' Union in 1970. Between 1972 and 1974 he achieved national attention when he served as President of the national Union of Students in Ireland. Following the completion of his presidency in 1974 he became an official in the Irish Transport and General Workers Union (ITGWU), becoming National Secretary for the union in 1980. Claremorris (Clár Clainne Mhuiris in Irish) is a town in County Mayo in the west of Ireland. ... County Mayo (Irish: Contae Mhaigh Eo, the plain of the yews) is a county on the west coast of Ireland. ... The National University of Ireland, Galway (NUI, Galway) (Irish: Ollscoil na hÉireann, Gaillimh) can trace its existence to 1845 as Queens College, Galway and was known until recently as University College, Galway (UCG) and is located in Galway, Ireland. ... 1970 (MCMLXX) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1970 calendar). ... 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1972 calendar). ... 1974 (MCMLXXIV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (the link is to a full 1974 calendar). ... The Union of Students in Ireland (in Irish Aontas na Mac Léinn in Éirinn) is the national representative body for third-level student unions in Ireland. ... 1974 (MCMLXXIV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (the link is to a full 1974 calendar). ... The Irish Transport and General Workers Union (ITGWU) was established by Jim Larkin in December 1908, after his expulsion from the British National Dock Labourers Union (NDLU). ... 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday. ...

Rabbitte became involved in politics for the first time in 1985 when he was elected to Dublin County Council. In 1989 he was elected to Dáil Éireann as a Workers' Party TD for Dublin South West. He has retained his seat at every election since as a Workers' Party, then Democratic Left and now Labour Party deputy. This article is about the year. ... Dublin County Council was a local authority for the administrative county of County Dublin in the Republic of Ireland. ... 1989 (MCMLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Dáil Chamber Dáil Éireann[1] is the lower house of the Oireachtas (parliament) of the Republic of Ireland. ... Categories: Ireland-related stubs | Irish political parties | Republic of Ireland political parties | Northern Ireland political parties ... Dublin South West is a parliamentary constituency in the Republic of Ireland. ... Categories: Ireland-related stubs | Irish political parties | Republic of Ireland political parties | Northern Ireland political parties ... In Ireland, Democratic Left was a socialist political party active in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland between 1992 and 1997. ... Logo of the Irish Labour Party The Irish Labour Party (Irish: Páirti an Lucht Oibre) is the third largest political party in the Republic of Ireland. ...

In government

In 1994 a new Rainbow Coalition government of Fine Gael, the Labour Party and Democratic Left came to power. Rabbitte was a key member of the junior ministerial team, serving as Minister of State to the Government, as well as Minister for State at the Department of Enterprise and Employment with responsibility for Commerce, Science & Technology. During his tenure as a junior minister Rabbitte was instrumental in establishing an anti-drugs strategy as well as enacting legislation which gave the Credit Union movement more authority. 1994 (MCMXCIV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated like the International Year of the Family and the International Year of the Sport and the Olympic Ideal. // Events January Bill Clinton January 1 : North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) goes into effect. ... Fine Gael (IPA , though often mispronounced (approximate English translation: Family of the Irish) is the second largest political party in Ireland. ... Logo of the Irish Labour Party The Irish Labour Party (Irish: Páirti an Lucht Oibre) is the third largest political party in the Republic of Ireland. ... Democratic Left is the name of a number of political parties: In Ecuador, Democratic Left led by Guillermo Landazuri. ... 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. ... The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (An Roinn Fiontar, Trádála agus Fostaíochta) is a department of the Irish government. ... A credit union is a not-for-profit co-operative financial institution that is owned and controlled by its members, through the election of a volunteer Board of Directors elected from the membership itself. ...

Labour Party leader

Following the 1997 general election the Rainbow Coalition lost power. The following year saw a merger between the Labour Party and Democratic Left, with Rabbitte playing a key role in the tentative negotiations. In October 2002 Rabbitte succeeded Ruairi Quinn as the new leader of the Labour Party. Under his leadership the party has made some gains in the local elections of 2004. Rabbitte has been described as an extremely good performer in the Dáil, often outshining his Fine Gael counterpart Enda Kenny. He is also noted for his anti-Fianna Fáil rhetoric. The Irish general election of 1997 was held on Friday, June 6, 1997. ... Logo of the Irish Labour Party The Irish Labour Party (Irish: Páirti an Lucht Oibre) is the third largest political party in the Republic of Ireland. ... Democratic Left is the name of a number of political parties: In Ecuador, Democratic Left led by Guillermo Landazuri. ... For album titles with the same name, see 2002 (album). ... Ruairi Quinn (born April 2, 1946) is an Irish Labour politician. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Fine Gael (IPA , though often mispronounced (approximate English translation: Family of the Irish) is the second largest political party in Ireland. ... Enda Kenny Enda Kenny became leader of Fine gael in the aftermath of the 2002 general election meltdown and is responsible for rebuilding the Fine Gael party, especially its internal structures and public face. ... Fianna Fáil - The Republican Party (IPA ; English translation: Soldiers of Ireland, but traditionally translated as Soldiers of Destiny) is the largest political party in Ireland. ...

Under Rabbitte the Labour Party has agreed to enter a pre-election pact with Fine Gael in an attempt to offer the electorate an alternative coalition government at the next general election, expected to take place in 2007. The Green Party are also expected to be likely members of the coalition government should their support be needed. This move is rumoured to have caused some tension in the parliamentary party as some members would prefer a coalition with Fianna Fáil. Should the alternative coalition come to power it is expected that Rabbitte will be appointed Tánaiste and become a minister in a senior department, possibly Finance. Fine Gael (IPA , though often mispronounced (approximate English translation: Family of the Irish) is the second largest political party in Ireland. ... The 30th Irish General Election will be held in 2006 or 2007, after the dissolution of the 29th Dáil by the President, at the request of the Taoiseach. ... 2007 (MMVII) will be a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Green Party/Comhaontas Glas was founded as the Ecology Party of Ireland in 1981. ... Fianna Fáil - The Republican Party (IPA ; English translation: Soldiers of Ireland, but traditionally translated as Soldiers of Destiny) is the largest political party in Ireland. ... The Tánaiste (plural: Tánaistithe), or more formally An Tánaiste, is the deputy prime minister of the Republic of Ireland1. ...

Political career

Fianna Fáil - The Republican Party (IPA ; English translation: Soldiers of Ireland, but traditionally translated as Soldiers of Destiny) is the largest political party in Ireland. ... Categories: Ireland-related stubs | Irish political parties | Republic of Ireland political parties | Northern Ireland political parties ... 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. ... Dublin South West is a parliamentary constituency in the Republic of Ireland. ... Democratic Left is the name of a number of political parties: In Ecuador, Democratic Left led by Guillermo Landazuri. ... 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. ... Dublin South West is a parliamentary constituency in the Republic of Ireland. ... The Labour Party (Irish: Páirtí an Lucht Oibre) is a social democratic political party in the Republic of Ireland. ... 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. ... Dublin South West is a parliamentary constituency in the Republic of Ireland. ... 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. ... Bobby Molloy (born July 9, 1936), former Fianna Fáil & Progressive Democrats politician. ... Séamus Brennan (born February 16, 1948) is a senior Irish Fianna Fáil politician. ... 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. ... The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (An Roinn Fiontar, Trádála agus Fostaíochta) is a department of the Irish government. ... This article is about Michael Smith the Irish politician. ... Ruairi Quinn (born 1946) is an Irish politician. ... Logo of the Irish Labour Party The Irish Labour Party (Irish: Páirti an Lucht Oibre) is the third largest political party in the Republic of Ireland. ...

External links

• Pat Rabbitte's website

Leaders of the Labour Party
Thomas Johnson | Thomas J. O'Connell | William Norton | Brendan Corish | Frank Cluskey | Michael O'Leary | Dick Spring | Ruairi Quinn | Pat Rabbitte