14 Facts About Gerard Craughwell

Gerard Patrick Craughwell was born on 22 November 1953 and is an Irish independent politician who has served as a senator for the Labour Panel since April 2016, and previously from 2014 to 2016 for the Cultural and Educational Panel.

Gerard Craughwell left the army in 1980 and took over his father's gas appliance maintenance business until it failed in 1983.

Gerard Craughwell joined the national executive of the Teachers' Union of Ireland in 2009, and was president between 2012 and June 2014.

Gerard Craughwell was previously a member of Fine Gael, but ruled out re-joining the party.

Gerard Craughwell contested the 2014 Seanad by-election which arose due to a vacancy on the Cultural and Educational Panel on the election of Deirdre Clune to the European Parliament, initially a symbolic gesture to protest against the usual practice of the government using its parliamentary majority to secure the election of its chosen candidate.

Gerard Craughwell secured nomination from members of the technical group and Fianna Fail.

Gerard Craughwell tried twice to join the Independent Seanad group, but it refused to admit him.

Gerard Craughwell suggested the group, mainly Taoiseach's nominees, was compromising its independence and supporting the government.

Gerard Craughwell did not endorse Alliance members' criticism of the government's January 2016 appointment of David Begg, as Chair of the Pensions Authority.

Gerard Craughwell ran in the Seanad election in April 2016 and was elected this time for the Labour Panel.

Gerard Craughwell left the Independent Alliance during the government formation talks in 2016.

In 2016 Gerard Craughwell took a case on behalf of himself and a number of local authority members in Ireland to attempt to stop the deduction of Class K from their representation payments under the 2011 Oireachtas Act as it did not contribute towards any benefits for Social Protection and was considered unconstitutional as a result.

Gerard Craughwell indicated that he would seek a nomination for the 2018 presidential election, but later withdrew his intention, claiming that the main political parties were "working together to deny the citizens of this Republic the opportunity to select their next President by means of an election".

Gerard Craughwell was re-elected at the 2020 and 2025 Seanad elections.