19 Facts About Joe McHugh

Joe McHugh was born on 16 July 1971 and is an Irish former politician from Carrigart, County Donegal.

Joe McHugh served as Minister for Education and Skills from October 2018 until June 2020.

Joe McHugh chaired the Committee on European Union Affairs from 2020 to 2024.

Joe McHugh began his political career on Donegal County Council, where he served from 1999 to 2002.

Joe McHugh did not contest the 2024 general election, stating he was leaving politics to spend more time with his family.

Joe McHugh taught geography and mathematics at Loreto Secondary School, Letterkenny, from 1993 to 1995.

Joe McHugh won a seat in the Milford local electoral area in the 1999 Donegal County Council election.

Joe McHugh was elected to Seanad Eireann as a Senator for the Administrative Panel in 2002, where he served as Fine Gael spokesperson on Community, Rural, Gaeltacht and Marine Affairs.

Joe McHugh was appointed party deputy Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and the Department of the Taoiseach, with special responsibility for North-South Co-operation in October 2007.

In January 2011, Joe McHugh called for a monument, funded by the government, in Donegal, dedicated to the founding of the Ulster Volunteer Force in 1912.

Joe McHugh was criticised by Eileen Doherty, a sister of Donegal County Councillor and Provisional IRA member Eddie Fullerton, who was assassinated by loyalists in 1991.

In Manchester in October 2011, Joe McHugh became the first Fine Gael TD to address delegates from the British Conservative Party.

Joe McHugh's appointment was met with criticism as his knowledge of the Irish language was at a basic level, although he subsequently received praise for his efforts to improve his language skills to the point where he could conduct lengthy interviews in the language.

Shane Ross later wrote of his fear of having what he described as a "Joe McHugh moment", meaning being a non-Irish speaker to a Gaeltacht ministry.

At the 2016 general election, Joe McHugh was elected to the new five-seater Donegal constituency on the 11th count.

Joe McHugh was appointed as Minister for Education and Skills on 16 October 2018.

Joe McHugh was not re-appointed to the Government of the 33rd Dail in June 2020, and declined the offer of appointment as a Minister of State.

In September 2020, Joe McHugh became Chair of the Committee on European Union Affairs.

In May 2022, Joe McHugh announced that he would not contest the next general election.