Marian Harkin Explained

Honorific-Suffix:TD
Office:Teachta Dála
Term Start:February 2020
Term Start1:May 2002
Term End1:May 2007
Constituency1:Sligo–Leitrim
Office2:Member of the European Parliament
Term Start2:1 July 2014
Term End2:24 May 2019
Constituency2:Midlands–North-West
Term Start3:1 July 2004
Term End3:20 May 2014
Constituency3:North-West
Birth Date:26 November 1953
Birth Place:Ballintogher, County Sligo, Ireland
Nationality:Irish
Party:Independent
Otherparty:European Democratic Party
Children:2
Alma Mater:University College Dublin

Marian Harkin (born 26 November 1953) is an Irish independent politician who has been a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Sligo–Leitrim constituency since the 2020 general election, and previously from 2002 to 2007. She previously served as a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) from 2004 to 2019.[1] [2]

Early and family life

Harkin was born in Ballintogher, County Sligo, in 1953. She studied at University College Dublin, where she attained a Bachelor of Science degree in geology. She worked as a maths teacher at Mercy College secondary school in Sligo for 25 years, before entering into politics.[3]

Community activism

While living in Manorhamilton, Harkin became active in the voluntary and community sector and developed the view that people living in disadvantaged areas such as Connacht had to rely on their own initiative and energy to progress development of their region. Her work at local level led to her appointment to Developing the West Together, which evolved into the Council for the West, of which Harkin became chairperson.[4]

Irish politics

She was elected to Dáil Éireann as an Independent TD for the Sligo–Leitrim constituency at the 2002 general election, receiving the highest number of first preference votes in the constituency.[5]

Member of the European Parliament, 2004–2019

At the 2004 European Parliament election, she was returned as an MEP for the North-West constituency topping the poll and being elected on the fourth count.[6] She had previously contested the 1999 European Parliament election in the same constituency (then called Connacht–Ulster), but had narrowly failed to be elected, losing out to Dana Rosemary Scallon for the third seat in the constituency. However, in 2004, the position was reversed and Harkin was returned at Scallon's expense.

Harkin did not contest the 2007 general election to concentrate on her role as an MEP.[7]

She was a member of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe group (ALDE) in the European Parliament.[8] Harkin was a member of the European Parliament's Committee on Employment and Social Affairs and the delegation for relations with the United States. She has been European Democratic Party Vice-president since December 2012. In addition, she served as vice-chairwoman of the European Parliament Intergroup on Integrity (Transparency, Anti-Corruption and Organized Crime).[9] She is also a supporter of the MEP Heart Group, a group of parliamentarians who have an interest in promoting measures that will help reduce the burden of cardiovascular diseases (CVD).[10]

She was re-elected to the European Parliament at the 2009 European Parliament election topping the poll in her constituency. She was again re-elected at the 2014 European Parliament election, taking the fourth seat in the new Midlands–North-West constituency.

On 1 April 2019, she announced that she was not standing for re-election in the 2019 European Parliament election.[11]

Return to Dáil (2020–present)

In January 2020, she announced she was standing in the 2020 general election,[12] where she was elected.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Marian Harkin. Oireachtas Members Database. 12 May 2009. 8 November 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20181108190644/https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/members/member/Marian-Harkin.D.2002-06-06. live.
  2. Web site: General Election 2020 Live Results - RTÉ News. RTÉ News. 10 February 2020. 13 February 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200213130309/https://www.rte.ie/news/election-2020/results/#/national/sligo-leitrim. live.
  3. Web site: Harkin goes back to school as 'powerful, female role model'. Irish Independent. 23 May 2002. 27 April 2023.
  4. Web site: Marian Harkin – Independent – 2004 European Elections. Irish Election Literature. 19 April 2010. 27 April 2023.
  5. Web site: General Election: 17 May 2002 – Sligo-Leitrim. ElectionsIreland.org. 27 April 2023.
  6. Web site: Marian Harkin. ElectionsIreland.org. 12 May 2009. 11 June 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20090611073445/http://electionsireland.org/candidate.cfm?id=4462. live.
  7. News: Independent TD Harkin to stand down. RTÉ News. 11 December 2006. 4 October 2020. 9 October 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201009041009/https://www.rte.ie/news/2006/1211/83536-harkinm/. live.
  8. Web site: Your MEPs: Marian Harkin. European Parliament. 26 January 2012. 3 September 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120903114059/http://www.europarl.europa.eu/meps/en/28116/Marian_HARKIN.html. live.
  9. http://www.europarl.europa.eu/pdf/intergroupes/VIII_LEG_13_Integrity_20151112.pdf Members of the European Parliament on Integrity (Transparency, Anti-Corruption and Organized Crime)
  10. http://www.mepheartgroup.eu/index.php/supporters Supporters
  11. News: Marian Harkin not to contest European Parliament elections. 1 April 2019. The Irish Times. 1 April 2019. 1 April 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190401145801/https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/marian-harkin-not-to-contest-european-parliament-elections-1.3845599. live.
  12. News: Harkin to run in election as Independent candidate. 13 January 2020. Leitrim Observer. 13 January 2020. 13 January 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200113172347/https://www.leitrimobserver.ie/news/home/508345/harkin-to-run-in-election-as-independent-candidate.html. live.