Ivan Yates

{{Short description|Irish former Fine Gael politician (b. 1959)}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| image = Agriculture Council, 1980th meeting - extracts from the final joint press conference by Ivan Yates (cropped).png

| caption = Yates in 1996

| office = Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry

| taoiseach = John Bruton

| term_start = 15 December 1994

| term_end = 26 June 1997

| predecessor = Joe Walsh

| successor = Joe Walsh

| office1 = Teachta Dála

| term_start1 = June 1981

| term_end1 = May 2002

| constituency1 = Wexford

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1959|10|23|df=y}}

| birth_place = Enniscorthy, County Wexford, Ireland

| death_date =

| death_place =

| party = Fine Gael

| spouse = {{marriage|Deirdre Yates|1985}}

| children = 4

| education = {{ubl|St Columba's College, Dublin|Gurteen College}}

| alma_mater = University College Dublin

|}}

Ivan Yates (born 23 October 1959) is an Irish broadcaster, businessman and former politician. He was elected as a Fine Gael Teachta Dála (TD) for the Wexford constituency at the 1981 general election and at each election until his retirement from politics in 2002.{{cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/members/member/Ivan-Yates.D.1981-06-30/|title=Ivan Yates|work=Oireachtas Members Database|access-date=12 April 2009|archive-date=7 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181107185307/https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/members/member/Ivan-Yates.D.1981-06-30|url-status=live}} He also served as Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry from 1994 to 1997. Since 2009, Yates has been active as a political commentator.

Early life

Yates was born in Enniscorthy, County Wexford. He was educated at Aravon School, Bray; St. Columba's Church of Ireland College in Rathfarnham, Dublin; and Gurteen College, County Tipperary.

Political career

=Local politics=

Yates first gained political office in 1978 at the age of 18 when he secured a seat on Enniscorthy Urban Council as a member of Fine Gael, capturing the post by just 13 votes.

=National politics=

When he was first elected to the Dáil in 1981, Yates was the youngest member of the 22nd Dáil and is also the fifth-youngest ever member of Dáil Éireann at the age of 21. He became involved in local politics when he became a member of Wexford County Council, serving until 1995 and again from 1999 to 2004. He joined the Fine Gael front bench in 1988 and was appointed Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry when the party came to power in 1994.{{cite web|url=http://www.electionsireland.org/candidate.cfm?ID=3407|title=Ivan Yates|work=ElectionsIreland.org|access-date=12 April 2009|archive-date=28 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180728101215/https://www.electionsireland.org/candidate.cfm?ID=3407|url-status=live}}

Yates oversaw a particularly difficult period for Irish agriculture. Farmers saw the prices they received for their produce plummet; he stopped live animal exports in response to controversy over cruelty in shipping, and took on the Irish Veterinary Union over the tuberculosis eradication scheme.{{cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/outflanked-ivu-forced-to-negotiate-on-yates-plan-1.21395|title=Outflanked IVU forced to negotiate on Yates plan|newspaper=The Irish Times|first=Seán|last=Mac Connell|date=13 January 1996|access-date=16 September 2020}} He also had to deal with a sharp rise in the number of BSE cases during 1996, and the consequent banning of Irish beef by Russia. When John Bruton resigned as leader of Fine Gael in January 2001, there was much speculation that Yates would be a contender for the vacant position. Instead, he announced to his colleagues that he was leaving full-time politics to concentrate on his family and business interests and that he would not be contesting the next general election.{{cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ivan-yates-to-announce-his-retirement-from-politics-1.277640|title=Ivan Yates to announce his retirement from politics|newspaper=The Irish Times|first=Mark|last=Brennock|date=6 February 2001|access-date=16 September 2020}}

He receives annual pension payments of €74,836 from his time in politics.{{cite news|url=http://www.independent.ie/national-news/thanks-big-fellas-ahern-and-cowen-get-massive-pensions-2931032.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120914031001/http://www.independent.ie/national-news/thanks-big-fellas-ahern-and-cowen-get-massive-pensions-2931032.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=14 September 2012 |title=Thanks big fellas: Ahern and Cowen get massive pensions |work=Irish Independent |access-date=10 November 2011 |first=Fiach |last=Kelly |date=10 November 2011 }}

Business career

Yates was the chairman and managing director of Celtic Bookmakers, an Irish chain of betting shops, and expanded the company from its Wexford base to a chain of 64 shops around the country at its peak. On 4 January 2011, it was announced that the company had gone into receivership.{{cite news |url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2011/0104/breaking31.html |title=Receiver appointed to Ivan Yates's Celtic Bookmakers |newspaper=The Irish Times |date=4 January 2011 |first=Elaine |last=Edwards |access-date=4 January 2011 |archive-date=22 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121022223058/http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2011/0104/breaking31.html |url-status=live }}

He headed a group of bookmakers in a court case against the British Horseracing Board (BHB) over fees for licences to access a racing information database in 2005. The issue was resolved in the High Court with the termination of the BHB's licence agreement and a payment of €300,000 to the bookmakers, who were reported to have access to the BHB's former database until 9 January 2006.{{cite news|url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/business/arid-10033160.html|title=Lower betting costs expected after bookmakers' dispute is settled|work=Irish Examiner|date=11 November 2005|access-date=15 September 2020}}

In 2011, he described the Irish bankruptcy process as "purgatory", and publicly announced that he was contemplating moving to the UK to avail of the British bankruptcy process.{{cite news |newspaper=Irish Examiner |first1=Caroline |last1=O'Doherty |title=Yates may move to Swansea to declare bankruptcy |url=http://irishexaminer.ie/ireland/yates-may-move-to-swansea-to-declare-bankruptcy-178548.html |date=30 December 2011 |access-date=4 January 2012 |archive-date=22 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210922221654/http://irishexaminer.ie/ |url-status=live }}

On 21 August 2012, the High Court in Dublin dismissed an attempt by Allied Irish Banks to have him declared bankrupt.{{cite news|url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2012/0821/334425-attempt-to-have-ivan-yates-made-bankrupt-dismissed/|title=Application to have Ivan Yates declared bankrupt dismissed in High Court|work=RTÉ News|date=21 August 2012|access-date=14 August 2013|archive-date=4 October 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131004151758/http://www.rte.ie/news/2012/0821/334425-attempt-to-have-ivan-yates-made-bankrupt-dismissed/|url-status=live}}

In September 2013, it was announced that Yates was discharged from bankruptcy, having fulfilled the requirements set down by Swansea County Court, where he made his application for personal insolvency on 24 August 2012.{{cite news|url=http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/aib-wont-recoup-37m-as-ivan-yates-ruled-bankrupt-in-wales-26893882.html|title=AIB won't recoup €3.7m as Ivan Yates ruled bankrupt in Wales|work=Irish Independent|date=3 September 2012|access-date=14 August 2013|archive-date=4 October 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131004151831/http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/aib-wont-recoup-37m-as-ivan-yates-ruled-bankrupt-in-wales-26893882.html|url-status=live}}{{cite news|url=http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/courts/ivan-yates-discharged-from-bankruptcy-in-uk-29542463.html|title=Ivan Yates discharged from bankruptcy in UK|work=Irish Independent|date=1 September 2013|access-date=2 September 2013|archive-date=17 April 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150417163949/http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/courts/ivan-yates-discharged-from-bankruptcy-in-uk-29542463.html|url-status=live}}

Media work

Yates co-presented the Newstalk breakfast show from 2009, firstly with Claire Byrne and subsequently with Chris Donoghue. On 23 March 2012, he announced he would be leaving both the station and his column in the Irish Examiner with effect from 6 April 2012, to concentrate on his personal finances.{{cite news|url=https://www.thejournal.ie/ivan-yates-to-leave-newstalk-393711-Mar2012/|title=Ivan Yates to leave Newstalk|work=TheJournal.ie|first=Jennifer|last=Wade|date=23 March 2012|access-date=15 September 2020|archive-date=27 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171027053914/http://www.thejournal.ie/ivan-yates-to-leave-newstalk-393711-Mar2012/|url-status=live}} He also presented Tonight with Vincent Browne on TV3 during summer 2011.

He returned to Newstalk in September 2013, once again co-presenting the breakfast show with Chris Donoghue.{{cite news|url=http://www.newstalk.ie/reader/47.301/13330/0/|title=Ivan Yates returns to Newstalk Breakfast|work=Newstalk|date=1 September 2013|access-date=2 September 2013|archive-date=8 September 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130908005506/http://www.newstalk.ie/reader/47.301/13330/0/|url-status=live}}

Yates is a regular conference speaker, motivational speaker and MC at business events in Ireland.{{cite web|url=http://www.personallyspeakingbureau.com/speaker/ivan-yates/|title=Ivan Yates - Personally Speaking Bureau|access-date=15 April 2015|archive-date=17 April 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150417161333/http://www.personallyspeakingbureau.com/speaker/ivan-yates/|url-status=live}} He is a client of Noel Kelly, of NK Management.{{cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/2023/07/01/in-the-eye-of-the-storm-noel-kelly-the-behind-the-scenes-agent-seen-as-rtes-real-director-general/|title=Noel Kelly: Who is the behind-the-scenes agent, seen as RTÉ's 'real director general'? Dublin talent agent, who played a key role in funneling hidden payments to Ryan Tubridy, was considered more powerful than broadcaster's own director general|newspaper=The Irish Times|first=Colm|last=Keena|date=1 July 2023}}

Yates co-hosted The Tonight Show on TV3 and presented The Hard Shoulder on Newstalk until his retirement from broadcasting in July 2020.{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/this-time-its-different-yates-retires-from-his-television-and-radio-shows-39333779.html|title='This time it's different' - Yates retires from his television and radio shows|work=Irish Independent|first1=Mícheál|last1=Ó Scannáil|first2=Gabija|last2=Gataveckaite|date=2 July 2020|access-date=15 September 2020|archive-date=22 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210922221652/https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/this-time-its-different-yates-retires-from-his-television-and-radio-shows-39333779.html|url-status=live}} Kieran Cuddihy replaced Yates as the host of The Hard Shoulder in September 2020.{{cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/tv-radio-web/newstalk-s-new-drivetime-host-kieran-cuddihy-tries-too-hard-at-taking-it-easy-1.4345670|title=Newstalk's new drivetime host Kieran Cuddihy tries too hard at taking it easy|newspaper=The Irish Times|first=Mick|last=Heaney|date=4 September 2020|access-date=15 September 2020|archive-date=22 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200922122158/https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/tv-radio-web/newstalk-s-new-drivetime-host-kieran-cuddihy-tries-too-hard-at-taking-it-easy-1.4345670|url-status=live}}

=Persona=

Reviewing Yates' media persona in 2018, Mick Heaney of the Irish Times summarised that while Yates presents himself as a quippy right-wing "Liberal-baiter", his tendency is to interview left-leaning guests and eventually concede to their points or praise them after being initially sceptical of their view. Heaney suggested that Yates is more interested in challenging political orthodoxy in Ireland than being an ideologue.{{cite news |last=Heaney |first=Mick |date=17 March 2018 |title=Ivan Yates: liberal-baiting shock jock or rebel without applause? |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/tv-radio-web/ivan-yates-liberal-baiting-shock-jock-or-rebel-without-applause-1.3428454 |work=Irish Times |location= |publisher= |access-date=9 April 2025}}

Political views

Speaking in 2010, Yates recalled how he decided which Irish political party he would choose to join in the late 1970s; Yates stated he wasn't a socialist, so that ruled out the Labour Party, and he didn't feel a deep connection to the Easter Rising of 1916, so that ruled out Fianna Fáil. That left Yates with Fine Gael. Yates was considered to be apart the emerging Liberal wing of the party which was being spearheaded by Garrett FitzGerald.{{cite magazine |last= |first= |date=January 2010 |title=Live and let live: Ivan Yates |url=https://www.eolasmagazine.ie/live-and-let-live-ivan-yates/ |magazine=Eolas |location= |publisher= |access-date=9 April 2025}}

In 2025 Yates identifies as centre-right and has stated that Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher are his ideological guiding lights.{{cite podcast |host=Matt Cooper, Ivan Yates |date=5 April 2025 |title=Trump's Tariff Derangement Syndrome |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vw7OAlnVHI&ab_channel=NKProductions |work=Path to Power |publisher= |time=23:00 |access-date=9 April 2025}} Yates stated he is supportive to the American Republican Party and Donald Trump, although he disagreed with Trump's economic policies such as the use of tariffs.{{cite podcast |host=Matt Cooper, Ivan Yates|date=22 March 2025 |title=McGregor Menace and Trump's Tariff Turmoil |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYwjfpvmJpc&t=1552s&ab_channel=NKProductions |work=Path to Power |publisher= |time= |access-date=9 April 2025}}

Detached from Irish nationalism, Yates has quipped that he is "rightly condemned as West British" and doesn't care for Irish republicanism.{{cite podcast |host=Matt Cooper, Ivan Yates|date=22 March 2025 |title=McGregor Menace and Trump's Tariff Turmoil |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYwjfpvmJpc&t=1552s&ab_channel=NKProductions |work=Path to Power |publisher= |time=25:52 |access-date=9 April 2025}} In 2024 Yates stated he has no interest in learning the Irish language and felt too many resources are spent by the Irish state towards the upkeep of the language.{{cite news |last=O'Cearbhaill

|first=Muiris |date=13 February 2024 |title=Ivan Yates doubles down on his comments about the Irish language |url=https://www.thejournal.ie/ivan-yates-doubles-down-on-his-comments-about-the-irish-language-6298181-Feb2024/ |work=TheJournal.ie |location= |publisher= |access-date=9 April 2025}}

Personal life

Yates is a member of the Church of Ireland.{{cite news |last=Heaney |first=Mick |date=23 July 2020 |title=Ivan Yates – embodiment of Newstalk’s iconoclastic self-image – hangs up his mic |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/tv-radio-web/ivan-yates-embodiment-of-newstalk-s-iconoclastic-self-image-hangs-up-his-mic-1.4310807 |work=Irish Times |location= |publisher= |access-date=9 April 2025}} Yates is married to Deirdre (whom he credits for his success in multiple professions); together they have 3 children.{{cite news |last= |first= |date=3 September 2013 |title=Ivan: My wife's concern over my drinking |url=https://www.independent.ie/regionals/herald/ivan-my-wifes-concern-over-my-drinking/29548380.html |work= |location= |publisher= |access-date=9 April 2025}}