Seán Haughey (born 8 November 1961) is an Irish former Fianna Fáil politician who served as a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Dublin Bay North constituency from 2016 to 2024, and previously from 1992 to 2011 for the Dublin North-Central constituency. He served as a Minister of State from 2006 to 2011 and Lord Mayor of Dublin from 1989 to 1990. He was a Senator for the Administrative Panel from 1987 to 1992.{{cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/members/member/Se%C3%A1n-Haughey.S.1987-04-25/|title=Seán Haughey|work=Oireachtas Members Database|access-date=22 July 2009|archive-date=14 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190414163341/https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/members/member/Se%C3%A1n-Haughey.S.1987-04-25/|url-status=live}}

Early life

The son of former Taoiseach Charles Haughey and Maureen Lemass, Haughey was educated at St Paul's College, Raheny, Dublin, and Trinity College Dublin, where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and Politics.{{Cite news|last=O'Halloran|first=Marie|title=Profile: Seán Haughey (FF)|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/oireachtas/profile-se%C3%A1n-haughey-ff-1.2555803|access-date=4 November 2021|newspaper=The Irish Times|language=en}}

Political career

Haughey entered politics in 1985 when he was elected to Dublin City Council for the Artane local electoral area. He was re-elected to the council in 1991 and 1999 and served until 2003. He was Lord Mayor of Dublin from 1989 to 1990.{{cite web|url=https://www.dublincity.ie/sites/default/files/2020-09/lord-mayors-of-dublin-1665-2021.pdf|title=Lord Mayors of Dublin 1665–2020 |work=Dublin City Council|date=June 2020|access-date=18 November 2023}}

Haughey served as a member of Seanad Éireann from 1987 until 1992. In that year he was elected to Dáil Éireann as a Fianna Fáil TD for Dublin North-Central.{{cite web|url=http://electionsireland.org/candidate.cfm?ID=3628|title=Seán Haughey|work=ElectionsIreland.org|access-date=22 July 2009|archive-date=3 February 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090203042058/http://electionsireland.org/candidate.cfm?ID=3628|url-status=live}} He had unsuccessfully contested the Dublin North-East constituency at the 1987 and 1989 general elections.

In June 2006, Haughey apologised for failing to disclose receiving £2,300 from Monarch Properties to the Mahon Tribunal.{{Cite news|date=2 June 2006|title=Haughey apologises for non-disclosure|url=https://www.rte.ie/news/2006/0602/76937-mahon/|language=en|publisher=RTÉ}} Haughey was appointed by Bertie Ahern in December 2006 as a Minister of State at the Department of Education and Science, with responsibility for Adult Education, Youth Affairs and Educational Disadvantage.{{cite journal |title=Appointment of Minister of State |journal=Iris Oifigiúil |date=15 December 2006 |volume=2006 |issue=100 |page=1281|url=https://www.irisoifigiuil.ie/archive/2006/december/2006%2012%2015%20IO%20Issue.PDF}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/2006-12-12/2/|title=Appointment of Minister of State – Dáil Éireann (29th Dáil)|date=12 December 2006|access-date=14 July 2020|website=Houses of the Oireachtas|archive-date=2 November 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191102115630/https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/2006-12-12/2/|url-status=live}} In June 2007, he was appointed as Minister of State at the Department of Education and Science and at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment with responsibility for Lifelong Learning, Youth Work and School Transport.{{cite journal|title=Appointment of Ministers of State|date=29 June 2007|journal=Iris Oifigiúil|url=https://www.irisoifigiuil.ie/archive/2007/june/2007%2006%2029%20IO%20Issue.PDF|issue=52|volume=2007|pages=692–694|access-date=23 August 2022|archive-date=8 July 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220708072402/http://www.irisoifigiuil.ie/archive/2007/june/2007%2006%2029%20IO%20Issue.PDF|url-status=live}}{{cite Irish legislation|year=2007|type=si|number=638|name=Education and Science (Delegation of Ministerial Functions) (No. 2) Order 2007|date=25 July 2007|access-date=1 September 2021}} He was re-appointed by Brian Cowen in 2008,{{cite journal|title=Appointment of Ministers of State|url=https://irisoifigiuil.ie/archive/2008/may/Ir2705081.PDF|volume=2008|issue=43|pages=562–563|date=16 May 2008|journal=Iris Oifigiúil|access-date=4 May 2021|archive-date=4 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210504121601/https://irisoifigiuil.ie/archive/2008/may/Ir2705081.PDF|url-status=live}}{{cite Irish legislation|year=2008|type=si|number=193|name=Education and Science (Delegation of Ministerial Functions) Order 2008|date=17 June 2008|access-date=12 April 2021}} and again when the number of junior ministers was reduced.{{cite journal|title=Appointment of Ministers of State|url=https://www.irisoifigiuil.ie/archive/2009/june/IR190609-NEW.PDF|pages=833–834|date=19 June 2009|journal=Iris Oifigiúil|issue=49|volume=2009|access-date=4 May 2021|archive-date=4 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210504094548/https://www.irisoifigiuil.ie/archive/2009/june/IR190609-NEW.PDF|url-status=live}}{{cite Irish legislation|year=2009|type=si|number=210|name=Education and Science (Delegation of Ministerial Functions) Order 2009|date=19 May 2009|access-date=12 April 2021}}; {{cite Irish legislation|year=2010|type=si|number=411|name=Education and Skills (Delegation of Ministerial Functions) Order 2010|date=26 July 2010|access-date=9 April 2021}}

He lost his seat at the 2011 general election. He was elected to Dublin City Council for the Clontarf local electoral area at the 2014 local elections. He regained a seat in the Dáil at the 2016 general election, when he was returned for the new Dublin Bay North constituency. He was re-elected at the general election in February 2020.{{cite news |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/dublin-bay-north-results-social-democrats-labour-ff-take-final-seats-1.4165182 |title=Dublin Bay North results: Social Democrats, Labour, FF take final seats |date=10 February 2020 |orig-date=9 February 2020 |first=Paul |last=Cullen |newspaper=Irish Times |location=Dublin |access-date=5 June 2021 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210606065549/https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/dublin-bay-north-results-social-democrats-labour-ff-take-final-seats-1.4165182 |archive-date=6 June 2021 }}{{cite news |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/election2020/dublin-bay-north |title=Election 2020: Dublin Bay North |date=10 February 2020 |newspaper=Irish Times |location=Dublin |access-date=5 June 2021 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210606065538/https://www.irishtimes.com/election2020/dublin-bay-north |archive-date=6 June 2021 }}

As of 2021, Haughey is the biggest stock market shareholder in the Dáil, holding at least €442,000 in shares, including shares in Pfizer and Amazon.{{Cite web|title=Seán Haughey share portfolio includes Pfizer and Amazon|url=https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/politics/sean-haughey-share-portfolio-includes-pfizer-and-amazon-40886725.html|access-date=4 November 2021|website=independent|date=25 September 2021 |language=en}}

On 6 February 2024, Haughey announced that he would not contest the next general election.{{Cite web|title=Seán Haughey decides not to contest next general election |url=https://www.rte.ie/news/politics/2024/0206/1430838-sean-haughey/|work=RTÉ News|date=6 February 2024}}

Personal life

Haughey is a member of a political family. His father was Charles Haughey, while his maternal grandfather was Seán Lemass; each served as Taoiseach. His uncle Noel Lemass and aunt Eileen Lemass were also members of Dáil Éireann. Through his father, Haughey is also related to Olympic medalist Siobhán Haughey.{{Cite web|title=TD Sean Haughey reveals family's 'great excitement' at swimming star Siobhan's Olympic medal|url=https://www.sundayworld.com/news/irish-news/td-sean-haughey-reveals-familys-great-excitement-at-swimming-star-siobhans-olympic-medal-40698513.html|access-date=4 November 2021|website=sundayworld|language=en}}

Haughey is married to Orla O'Brien, and the couple have four children.

On 4 February 2021, he undertook godparenthood for Vitold Ashurak, Belarusian activist and political prisoner.{{Cite web|date=4 February 2021|title=Members of Parliament from Switzerland, Germany and Ireland take over godparenthood for Yuliya Slutskaya, Katsiaryna Andreyeva and Vitold Ashurak|url=https://www.lphr.org/martina-munz-national-council-sp-switzerland-delara-burkhardt-european-parliament-spd-germany-and-sean-haughey-irish-lower-house-fianna-fail-ireland-have-taken-over-a-godparenthood-for-p/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210204103752/https://www.lphr.org/en/martina-munz-national-council-sp-switzerland-delara-burkhardt-european-parliament-spd-germany-and-sean-haughey-irish-lower-house-fianna-fail-ireland-have-taken-over-a-godparenthood-for-p/|archive-date=4 February 2021|access-date=24 February 2021|website=|publisher=Libereco|language=en}} After the death of Ashurak in May, Haughey took over the patronage of Dzyanis Ivashin, a journalist of Novy Chas and Belarusian political prisoner, on 30 June 2021.{{Cite web|date=30 June 2021|title=Irish and German MPs adopt three political prisoners from Belarus|url=https://www.lphr.org/belarus-godparent-mcgreehan-haughey-geier/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210705071739/https://www.lphr.org/en/belarus-godparent-mcgreehan-haughey-geier/|archive-date=5 July 2021|access-date=5 July 2021|website=|publisher=Libereco – Partnership for Human Rights|language=en}}{{Cite web|authorlink=Paul Cunningham (journalist)|first=Paul|last=Cunningham|date=15 July 2021|title=Irish politicians sponsor Belarus political prisoners|url=https://www.rte.ie/news/2021/0715/1235124-belarus-ireland/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://archive.today/20210716140928/https://www.rte.ie/news/2021/0715/1235124-belarus-ireland/|archive-date=16 July 2021|access-date=16 July 2021|publisher=RTÉ News and Current Affairs|language=en}}