Michael Woods (born 8 December 1935) is an Irish former Fianna Fáil politician who served as Government Chief Whip from July 1979 to December 1979, Minister for Social Welfare from 1979 to 1981, 1987 to 1991, March 1982 to December 1982 and 1993 to 1994, Minister for Health from 1979 to 1981, March 1982 to December 1982 and November 1994 to December 1994, Minister for Agriculture and Food from 1991 to 1992, Minister for the Marine from 1992 to 1993, Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources from 1997 to 2000 and Minister for Education and Science from 2000 to 2002. He served as a Teachta Dála (TD) from 1977 to 2011.[1]
Michael Woods | |
|---|---|
| Minister for Education and Science | |
| In office 27 January 2000 – 6 June 2002 | |
| Taoiseach | Bertie Ahern |
| Preceded by | Micheál Martin |
| Succeeded by | Noel Dempsey |
| Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources | |
| In office 26 June 1997 – 27 January 2000 | |
| Taoiseach | Bertie Ahern |
| Preceded by | Seán Barrett |
| Succeeded by | Frank Fahey |
| Minister for the Marine | |
| In office 11 February 1992 – 12 January 1993 | |
| Taoiseach | Albert Reynolds |
| Preceded by | John Wilson |
| Succeeded by | David Andrews |
| Minister for Agriculture and Food | |
| In office 14 November 1991 – 11 February 1992 | |
| Taoiseach | Charles Haughey |
| Preceded by | Michael O'Kennedy |
| Succeeded by | Joe Walsh |
| Minister for Social Welfare | |
| In office 12 January 1993 – 15 December 1994 | |
| Taoiseach | Albert Reynolds |
| Preceded by | Charlie McCreevy |
| Succeeded by | Prionsias de Rossa |
| In office 10 March 1987 – 13 November 1991 | |
| Taoiseach | Charles Haughey |
| Preceded by | Gemma Hussey |
| Succeeded by | Brendan Daly |
| In office 9 March 1982 – 14 December 1982 | |
| Taoiseach | Charles Haughey |
| Preceded by | Eileen Desmond |
| Succeeded by | Barry Desmond |
| In office 12 December 1979 – 30 June 1981 | |
| Taoiseach | Charles Haughey |
| Preceded by | Charles Haughey |
| Succeeded by | Eileen Desmond |
| Minister for Health | |
| In office 17 November 1994 – 15 December 1994 | |
| Taoiseach | Albert Reynolds |
| Preceded by | Brendan Howlin |
| Succeeded by | Michael Noonan |
| In office 9 March 1982 – 14 December 1982 | |
| Taoiseach | Charles Haughey |
| Preceded by | Eileen Desmond |
| Succeeded by | Barry Desmond |
| In office 12 December 1979 – 30 June 1981 | |
| Taoiseach | Charles Haughey |
| Preceded by | Charles Haughey |
| Succeeded by | Eileen Desmond |
| Minister of State | |
| 1979 | Government Chief Whip |
| 1979 | Defence |
| Teachta Dála | |
| In office June 1981 – February 2011 | |
| Constituency | Dublin North-East |
| In office June 1977 – June 1981 | |
| Constituency | Dublin Clontarf |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 8 December 1935 Bray, County Wicklow, Ireland |
| Political party | Fianna Fáil |
| Spouse |
Margot Maher (m. 1967) |
| Children | 5 |
| Alma mater | |
Early life edit
Woods was born in County Wicklow in December 1935. He was educated at Christian Brothers in Synge Street, Dublin; University College Dublin and Harvard Business School. He qualified with a degree in Agricultural science and a PhD in science.
Political career edit
Woods joined Fianna Fáil in 1968. At the 1977 general election he stood for the Dáil in the Dublin Clontarf constituency as a Fianna Fáil candidate and was elected alongside Fianna Fáil stalwart George Colley. From 1981 to 2011, he was elected for the Dublin North-East constituency.[2] In 1979, Jack Lynch appointed him as Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach (Government Chief Whip). That same year Woods supported Colley in his leadership bid, but the other candidate, Charles Haughey, was successful.[citation needed]
Despite Woods having supported Colley, Haughey appointed him Minister for Health and Social Welfare. He held that post until 1981, and again in the short-lived 1982 government. In 1987, Fianna Fáil returned to power and he returned as Minister for Social Welfare. In 1991, he became Minister for Agriculture and Food. In 1992, Woods entered the contest to succeed Haughey as leader. He received little support and withdrew from the contest. The eventual victor, Albert Reynolds, retained Woods as Minister for the Marine in his new cabinet. Following the formation of the Fianna Fáil–Labour Party coalition in 1993, Woods remained in the cabinet, this time with the Social Welfare portfolio, and—after the mass resignation of the Labour ministers—was additionally appointed Minister for Health.[citation needed]
After three years in opposition, Fianna Fáil returned to power in 1997. Woods was appointed Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources. He introduced a £70 million overhaul of Ireland's fishing fleet and also launched a new maritime college. In the cabinet reshuffle in 2000, he replaced Micheál Martin as Minister for Education. Woods was not retained in the cabinet following the 2002 general election. He was Chairman of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs from 2002 to 2007.[citation needed]
He retired from politics at the 2011 general election.[3]
Controversies edit
While serving as Minister for Education, Woods signed a controversial agreement with 18 Irish religious orders involved in child sex-abuse scandals which limited their compensation liability to the victims of abuse to only €128 million. This compensation scheme is projected to eventually cost the Irish government €1.35 billion. The agreement was signed just before the 2002 general election, and consequently was not laid before the cabinet for its approval. It then remained unpublished for several months.
In 2003, after brokering the deal, Woods claimed his strong Catholic faith made him the most suitable person to negotiate the deal.[4] He also denied allegations that he was a member of Opus Dei or the Knights of Saint Columbanus after the group Survivors of Child Abuse alleged he was a member of the former.[4]
After the publication of the report of the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse (CICA), Woods defended the deal; he claimed the Department of Education and Science had the management role in the schools in question and that the state knew all the details when making the deal.[5] Mary Raftery criticised his remarks, pointing out that some of them contradicted remarks made by Woods himself.[5]
References edit
- ^ "Michael Woods". Oireachtas Members Database. Archived from the original on 7 November 2018. Retrieved 9 November 2009.
- ^ "Michael Woods". ElectionsIreland.org. Archived from the original on 24 September 2018. Retrieved 9 November 2009.
- ^ Brennan, Michael; Duggan, Barry (7 January 2011). "Woods on €106,000 pension as struggling party loses 11th TD". Irish Independent. Archived from the original on 14 December 2019. Retrieved 7 January 2011.
- ^ a b Eoghan Williams (12 October 2003). "My faith helped to save church abuse deal, says Woods". Sunday Independent. Archived from the original on 30 May 2009. Retrieved 27 May 2009.
- ^ a b Mary Raftery (25 May 2009). "Woods gives preview of the conservative fightback". The Irish Times. Archived from the original on 24 October 2010. Retrieved 27 May 2009.