15 Facts About Dominic Hannigan

Dominic Hannigan was born on 1 July 1965 and is an Irish former Labour Party politician who served as a Teachta Dala for the Meath East constituency from 2011 to 2016.

Dominic Hannigan was a Senator for the Labour Panel from 2007 to 2011.

Dominic Hannigan was educated at University College Dublin with a degree in Civil Engineering, at City, University of London with a Masters in Transport and at the University of London with a Masters in Finance.

Dominic Hannigan entered electoral politics when he was elected as an Independent councillor to Meath County Council for the Slane electoral area at the 2004 local elections, serving as chairperson of the council's Planning and Economic Development Committee.

Dominic Hannigan subsequently joined the Labour Party in October 2004, and first stood for Dail Eireann at the 2005 Meath by-election, which saw the Labour vote increase by over 3,000 first preference votes since the 2002 general election.

Dominic Hannigan was one of the first members of the Oireachtas to support the candidacy of Eamon Gilmore, following the resignation of Pat Rabbitte as leader of the Labour Party on 23 August 2007.

Dominic Hannigan subsequently became the chairman of Eamon Gilmore's leadership campaign to become leader.

Dominic Hannigan said in 2011 that population growth during the Celtic Tiger years was more dramatic in Meath than elsewhere in Ireland and that this was having a profound effect on the county's education system.

Dominic Hannigan spoke in favour of a cost-benefit analysis of the proposed Slane bypass in February 2011.

At the 2011 general election Dominic Hannigan topped the poll in Meath East.

In doing so Dominic Hannigan became one of the first two openly gay people to be elected to Dail Eireann, a distinction he shares with Dublin North-West's John Lyons.

Dominic Hannigan was "followed by a large posse of journalists and camera crews" when party leader Eamon Gilmore joined him during the campaign.

Dominic Hannigan was elected Chairman of the Joint Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement in June 2011.

Dominic Hannigan was elected Chairman of the Joint Committee on EU Affairs in January 2012, following which he stepped down as Chairman of the Good Friday Agreement Committee.

Dominic Hannigan lost his seat at the 2016 general election.