Brian Hayes (politician)

{{Infobox officeholder

| image = Minister Brian Hayes at Sneem River.JPG

| office = Minister of State

| suboffice = Finance

| subterm = 2011–2014

| suboffice1 = Public Expenditure and Reform

| subterm1 = 2011–2014

| office2 = Leader of the Opposition in the Seanad

| leader2 = Enda Kenny

| term_start2 = 21 July 2002

| term_end2 = 30 May 2007

| predecessor2 = Maurice Manning

| successor2 = Frances Fitzgerald

| office3 = Leader of Fine Gael in the Seanad

| leader3 = Enda Kenny

| term_start3 = 21 July 2002

| term_end3 = 30 May 2007

| predecessor3 = Maurice Manning

| successor3 = Frances Fitzgerald

| office4 = Member of the European Parliament

| term_start4 = 1 July 2014

| term_end4 = 1 July 2019

| constituency4 = Dublin

| office5 = Teachta Dála

| term_start5 = May 2007

| term_end5 = May 2014

| term_start6 = June 1997

| term_end6 = May 2002

| constituency6 = Dublin South-West

| office7 = Senator

| term_start7 = 12 September 2002

| term_end7 = 24 May 2007

| constituency7 = Cultural and Educational Panel

| term_start8 = 20 December 1995

| term_end8 = 6 June 1997

| constituency8 = Nominated by the Taoiseach

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1969|8|23|df=y}}

| birth_place = Tallaght, Dublin, Ireland

| death_date =

| death_place =

| nationality = Irish

| party = Fine Gael

| otherparty = Democratic Left

| spouse = {{marriage|Genievive Hayes|2003}}{{cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/business/financial-services/why-brian-hayes-went-from-searing-critic-to-chief-defender-of-banks-1.3953869|title=Why Brian Hayes went from searing critic to chief defender of banks|first=Ciarán|last=Hancock|newspaper=The Irish Times|access-date=10 November 2020|archive-date=7 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201107233033/https://www.irishtimes.com/business/financial-services/why-brian-hayes-went-from-searing-critic-to-chief-defender-of-banks-1.3953869|url-status=live}}

| children = 3{{cite web|url=https://www.finegael.ie/brian-hayes-mep-dublin/|title=Brian Hayes MEP Dublin|work=Fine Gael website|date=31 December 1969|access-date=2 February 2021|archive-date=16 June 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190616005326/https://www.finegael.ie/brian-hayes-mep-dublin/|url-status=live}}

| education = Garbally College

| alma_mater = {{Ubl|St Patrick's College, Maynooth|Trinity College Dublin}}

| website =

|}}

Brian Hayes (born 23 August 1969) is an Irish former Fine Gael politician who served as a Minister of State from 2011 to 2014, Leader of the Opposition in the Seanad and Leader of Fine Gael in the Seanad from 2002 to 2007. He served as a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for the Dublin constituency from 2014 to 2019. He was as a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Dublin South-West constituency from 1997 to 2002 and 2007 to 2014. He was also a Senator from 1995 to 1997, after being nominated by the Taoiseach and from 2002 to 2007 for the Cultural and Educational Panel.{{cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/members/member/Brian-Hayes.S.1995-12-20/|title=Brian Hayes|work=Oireachtas Members Database|access-date=22 July 2009|archive-date=7 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181107230617/https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/members/member/Brian-Hayes.S.1995-12-20|url-status=live}}

Early life

Hayes was born in Dublin. He was educated at Garbally College, Ballinasloe, County Galway; St Patrick's College, Maynooth, from which he received a degree in history and sociology in 1991,{{cite web|url=http://alumni.nuim.ie/events/alumniball2011.shtml|title=NUIM Alumni Ball 2011|work=NUI Maynooth Alumni Office|date=11 June 2011|access-date=1 February 2014|archive-date=20 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140520145024/http://alumni.nuim.ie/events/alumniball2011.shtml|url-status=live}} and Trinity College Dublin. Formerly a secondary school teacher, he was a member of South Dublin County Council between 1995 and 2003.

Political career

Before joining Fine Gael Hayes had been a member of Democratic Left, a party which he joined because of the hardline anti-Provisional IRA and anti-Irish Republican policies of its leader Proinsias de Rossa.{{cite news|title=Exuberant Hayes tackles burning issue and gives thanks for the silent majority|newspaper=The Irish Times|date=18 February 2011}} He subsequently joined Fine Gael for similar reasons, this time inspired by the anti-Sinn Féin stance of that party's then leader, John Bruton. In December 1995, he was nominated by the Taoiseach, John Bruton, to the 20th Seanad, where he was appointed government spokesperson on the Environment. Hayes was first elected to Dáil Éireann at the 1997 general election for the Dublin South-West constituency. He was appointed Fine Gael spokesperson on Housing, House Prices and Urban Renewal.

In a reshuffle of the Fine Gael front bench in June 2000, Hayes was promoted as spokesperson on Northern Ireland. Between 2001 and 2002 he served as Fine Gael's spokesperson on Social and Community Affairs. Hayes lost his seat at the 2002 general election but was elected to Seanad Éireann, where he served as Fine Gael Seanad leader and spokesperson on Defence and Northern Ireland.

At the 2007 general election he was re-elected to the Dáil on the first count in the Dublin South-West constituency.{{cite web|url=http://electionsireland.org/candidate.cfm?ID=4194|title=Brian Hayes|work=ElectionsIreland.org|access-date=22 July 2009|archive-date=3 February 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090203015613/http://electionsireland.org/candidate.cfm?ID=4194|url-status=live}} He was party spokesperson for Education and Science from 2007 to 2010.

On 19 August 2008, Hayes used a report in the Irish Independent to say that immigrant children should be "segregated" until their English language skills match those of native children. His comments generated considerable debate in the days that followed.{{cite news|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/ireland/article4596733.ece|title=Fine Gael TD Brian Hayes caused uproar by calling for 'segregation' in schools|work=The Sunday Times|date=24 August 2008|access-date=17 February 2011|archive-date=29 June 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629113930/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/ireland/article4596733.ece|url-status=dead}}{{cite news|url=http://www.examiner.ie/story/ireland/qlaucwojmh/rss2/|title=Anti-racism bodies react angrily to FG proposal|work=The Irish Examiner|access-date=20 August 2008|archive-date=21 February 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110221014514/http://www.examiner.ie/story/ireland/qlaucwojmh/rss2|url-status=dead}} The Irish National Teachers' Organisation (INTO) described the idea put forward by Hayes as "discriminatory, inequitable and deeply flawed".{{cite news|url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2008/0819/education.html|title=FG calls for student segregation 'flawed'|work=RTÉ News|date=19 August 2008|access-date=17 February 2011|archive-date=21 February 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110221031456/http://www.rte.ie/news/2008/0819/education.html|url-status=live}} He later apologized and spoke of his regret but insisted this "should not take away from the substance of what I said".{{cite web|url=http://www.herald.ie/national-news/hayes-says-sorry-for-his-ridiculous-segregation-jibe-1460548.html|title=Hayes says sorry for his 'ridiculous' segregation jibe|work=Evening Herald|date=August 2008|access-date=17 February 2011|archive-date=24 February 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110224035804/http://www.herald.ie/national-news/hayes-says-sorry-for-his-ridiculous-segregation-jibe-1460548.html|url-status=live}}{{cite news|url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2008/0821/1219243767027.html|title=Hayes regrets 'segregation' remark|newspaper=The Irish Times|date=21 August 2008|access-date=17 February 2011|archive-date=19 November 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111119085839/http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2008/0821/1219243767027.html|url-status=live}}

In June 2010, he supported Richard Bruton's leadership challenge to Enda Kenny. Following Kenny's victory in a motion of confidence, Hayes was not re-appointed to the front bench. In October 2010, he was appointed as party Deputy spokesperson on Finance with special responsibility for Public Expenditure.

Ministerial career (2011–2014)

On 10 March 2011, Hayes was appointed by the Fine Gael–Labour government on the nomination of Taoiseach Enda Kenny as Minister of State at the Department of Finance and at the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform with responsibility for Public Service Reform and the Office of Public Works.{{cite journal|title=Appointment of Ministers of State|date=22 March 2011|journal=Iris Oifigiúil|url=https://irisoifigiuil.ie/archive/2011/march/Ir220311.pdf|issue=23|volume=2011|pages=402–403|access-date=13 September 2021|archive-date=1 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210901071907/https://irisoifigiuil.ie/archive/2011/march/Ir220311.pdf|url-status=live}}{{cite web |title=Thirty-First Dáil |url=https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/8a5755-thirty-first-dail/ |website=Government of Ireland |access-date=13 September 2021 |date=11 December 2018 |archive-date=8 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210908100138/https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/8a5755-thirty-first-dail/ |url-status=live }}

After sudden floods killed two people in October 2011, he claimed the response of local authorities was "not adequate".{{cite news|url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/1026/weather.html|title=Brian Hayes wants lessons learned from floods|work=RTÉ News|date=26 October 2011|access-date=26 October 2011|archive-date=26 October 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111026112742/http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/1026/weather.html|url-status=live}} In a newspaper article for the Sunday Independent in March 2012, one year after the Irish people voted to remove them from office, Hayes claimed Ireland still needed Fianna Fáil and questioned if their absence would be "in the interests of Irish democracy".{{cite news|url=http://www.independent.ie/opinion/analysis/brian-hayes-watch-out-fianna-fail-sinn-fein-is-now-moving-in-for-the-kill-3038821.html|title=Watch out, Fianna Fáil, Sinn Féin is now moving in for the kill|work=Sunday Independent|date=4 March 2012|access-date=4 March 2012|archive-date=6 March 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120306221438/http://www.independent.ie/opinion/analysis/brian-hayes-watch-out-fianna-fail-sinn-fein-is-now-moving-in-for-the-kill-3038821.html|url-status=live}}

While in the position of Minister of State at the Department of Finance he sought to improve the domestic economy by focusing more intensively on domestic sectors likely to lead to job creation. This included initiatives such as the expansion of Aspen Pharma to Citywest,{{cite web|url=https://www.idaireland.com/newsroom/aspen-pharma-creates-42-n|title=Aspen Pharma creates 42 new jobs at its Citywest European Operations Centre|access-date=7 July 2020|archive-date=14 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200814114707/https://www.idaireland.com/newsroom/aspen-pharma-creates-42-n|url-status=live}} the opening of Charles River Managed Services in Citywest,{{cite web|url=https://www.idaireland.com/newsroom/charles-river-opens-globa|title=Charles River Opens Global Managed Services Center in Dublin|access-date=7 July 2020|archive-date=9 December 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201209000316/https://www.idaireland.com/newsroom/charles-river-opens-globa|url-status=live}} and the launch of Paycheck Plus’ UK branch.{{cite web|url=https://www.paycheckplus.co.uk/payroll-news-uk/manchester-payroll-bureau/|title=Paycheck Plus Manchester Payroll Bureau | Outsourced Payroll Services|website=www.paycheckplus.co.uk|date=7 May 2014 |access-date=7 July 2020|archive-date=8 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200708070740/https://www.paycheckplus.co.uk/payroll-news-uk/manchester-payroll-bureau/|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.ie/regionals/droghedaindependent/news/paycheck-plus-branches-out-with-manchester-office-30273000.html|title=Paycheck Plus branches out with Manchester office|website=independent|date=14 May 2014 |access-date=7 July 2020|archive-date=8 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200708010236/https://www.independent.ie/regionals/droghedaindependent/news/paycheck-plus-branches-out-with-manchester-office-30273000.html|url-status=live}}

Hayes publicly acknowledged that Ireland had suffered reputational damage following the death of Savita Halappanavar, the pregnant Indian woman who died after being denied an abortion at University Hospital Galway.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-20361932|title=Savita Halappanavar – Irish embassy protest over death|work=BBC News|date=16 November 2012|access-date=20 June 2018|archive-date=24 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201024152547/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-20361932|url-status=live}}

European Parliament

He was elected as the Fine Gael candidate for the Dublin constituency at the 2014 European Parliament election, terminating his appointment as Minister of State.{{cite news|url=http://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/dublin-seat-shaping-up-to-be-the-one-to-watch-in-the-european-elections-1.1675491|title=Dublin seat shaping up to be the one to watch in the European elections|newspaper=The Irish Times|date=1 February 2014|access-date=1 February 2014|archive-date=1 February 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140201213724/http://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/dublin-seat-shaping-up-to-be-the-one-to-watch-in-the-european-elections-1.1675491|url-status=live}} Hayes was the lead negotiator for the European People's Party (EPP) on the plan for a Pan-European Pension Product (PEPP).{{cite news |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/business/financial-services/pan-european-pensions-on-sale-in-ireland-by-2019-1.3242923 |title=Pan European pensions on sale in Ireland by 2019 |author=Fiona Reddan |date=3 October 2017 |newspaper=The Irish Times |access-date=19 February 2018 |archive-date=15 February 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180215051229/https://www.irishtimes.com/business/financial-services/pan-european-pensions-on-sale-in-ireland-by-2019-1.3242923 |url-status=live }} On 6 November 2018, Hayes announced that he was leaving politics and would not contest the European Parliament election in 2019.{{cite news|url=https://www.rte.ie/news/politics/2018/1106/1008952-brian-hayes/|title=Fine Gael MEP Brian Hayes leaving politics and will not contest next Euro election|work=RTÉ News|date=6 November 2018|access-date=6 November 2018|archive-date=18 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190418061659/https://www.rte.ie/news/politics/2018/1106/1008952-brian-hayes/|url-status=live}} He is currently Chief Executive of Banking & Payment Federation Ireland.{{Cite web |url=https://www.bpfi.ie/faq/brian-hayes-chief-executive/ |title=Brian Hayes, Chief Executive - Banking and Payments Federation Ireland |access-date=19 March 2020 |archive-date=19 March 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200319000654/https://www.bpfi.ie/faq/brian-hayes-chief-executive/ |url-status=dead }}

Oireachtas Golf Society scandal

In August 2020, Hayes became one of the figures of the Oireachtas Golf Society scandal, a scandal created when members of the Oireachtas Golf Society were discovered to have breached the rules set down by the Irish government about gathering during the COVID-19 pandemic.{{cite news |last=Moore |first=Aoife |date=21 August 2020 |title=#Golfgate: Invite to Oireachtas event didn't mention pandemic |url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-40035884.html |access-date=22 August 2020 |archive-date=24 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200824222250/https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-40035884.html |url-status=live }}{{cite news |date=21 August 2020 |title=Invite for Clifden function at the centre of political storm, signed off by Noel Grealish and Donie Cassidy, made no mention of the pandemic |url=https://galwaybayfm.ie/galway-bay-fm-news-desk/invite-for-clifden-function-at-the-centre-of-political-storm-signed-off-by-noel-grealish-and-donie-cassidy-made-no-mention-of-the-pandemic/ |access-date=22 August 2020 |archive-date=23 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200823063912/https://galwaybayfm.ie/galway-bay-fm-news-desk/invite-for-clifden-function-at-the-centre-of-political-storm-signed-off-by-noel-grealish-and-donie-cassidy-made-no-mention-of-the-pandemic/ |url-status=live }}