1. Mary Harney was born on 11 March 1953 and is an Irish former politician and the former Chancellor of the University of Limerick.
34 Facts About Mary Harney
1. 2.
Mary Harney was leader of the Progressive Democrats party between 1993 and 2006 and again from 2007 to 2008, resuming the role after her successor, Michael McDowell, lost his seat at the 2007 general election.
3.
Mary Harney is the second longest-ever-serving female member of Dail Eireann, serving as a Teachta Dala successively for the Dublin South-West and Dublin Mid-West constituencies from 1981 to 2011.
4.
Mary Harney was Ireland's first female Tanaiste from 1997 to 2006, and the first woman to lead a party in Dail Eireann.
5.
Mary Harney was educated at the Convent of Mercy, Inchicore, and Presentation Convent, Clondalkin, before studying at Trinity College Dublin.
6.
Mary Harney came to the attention of Fianna Fail leader Jack Lynch, and stood unsuccessfully as a Fianna Fail candidate in the 1977 general election.
7.
Mary Harney was then appointed to Seanad Eireann by Lynch who had become Taoiseach.
8.
Mary Harney was the youngest ever member of the Seanad when appointed, aged 24.
9.
In 1979, Mary Harney had her first electoral success when she was elected to Dublin County Council.
10.
Mary Harney retained her seat at every election until her retirement in 2011, moving to the new Dublin Mid-West constituency at the 2002 general election when it was created from part of Dublin South-West.
11.
Mary Harney went on to become a founder member of the Progressive Democrats with Desmond O'Malley and Bobby Molloy in December 1985.
12.
Mary Harney was appointed Minister of State with responsibility for Environmental Protection.
13.
Mary Harney served in this position until the party withdrew from government in late 1992.
14.
In February 1993, Mary Harney was appointed deputy leader of the Progressive Democrats, and succeeded O'Malley as party leader in October of that year, making her the first female leader of an Irish political party in Dail Eireann.
15.
Mary Harney was appointed the first female Tanaiste and first female Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment.
16.
Mary Harney used her powers to initiate thirteen investigations into companies which tribunals had suggested might have breached company law.
17.
Mary Harney was re-appointed Tanaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment.
18.
Mary Harney inaugurated the Personal Injuries Assessment Board in May 2004, to reduce high litigation costs in personal injuries cases and to compensate claimants quickly and cheaply.
19.
Mary Harney was Ireland's representative to the European Council of Ministers for the Software Patents Directive.
20.
Mary Harney later apologised for having abused her position in using the plane for non-government business, and admitted that using the plane was wrong.
21.
In May 2006, the Irish Nurses Organisation unanimously passed a motion of no confidence in Mary Harney, accusing her of being negative and antagonistic towards nurses.
22.
Mary Harney denied this and said that since the leaking of the memo there had been much progress, although she did not elaborate.
23.
On 7 September 2006, Mary Harney announced that she was resigning as leader of the Progressive Democrats and that she would remain leader until a successor was chosen.
24.
Mary Harney said she wanted to continue as Minister for Health but stated that it was a matter for her successor and the Taoiseach.
25.
Mary Harney was succeeded by then-Justice Minister Michael McDowell after Tom Parlon and backbencher Liz O'Donnell nominated him.
26.
The Progressive Democrats' rules at the time stipulated that the leader of the party must be a TD, and Mary Harney was one of only two remaining TDs; she resumed the leadership in a caretaker capacity.
27.
On 15 January 2011, Mary Harney tendered her resignation as Minister for Health and Children to Taoiseach Brian Cowen.
28.
Mary Harney stated that she would not be contesting the 2011 general election.
29.
On 28 November 2008, Mary Harney defended her use of expenses while on a FAS trip to the US, saying that she was "not on holiday", she had not used public taxes for her own personal grooming, that the use of the government jet for the trip was made by the Taoiseach, and she had followed advice in claiming her expenses.
30.
Mary Harney acknowledged meeting a relative for an hour while in the United States.
31.
Labour Party leader Eamon Gilmore told his party conference that Mary Harney should resign because of her performance as Minister for Health.
32.
In 2012, Mary Harney joined the board of a new healthcare company, Cara.
33.
On 17 April 2016, Mary Harney intervened in government formation talks, claiming the deadlock would damage "Ireland's reputation" in remarks made during her closing address at the three-day Women in Media conference in Ballybunion.
34.
In November 2001 Mary Harney married Brian Geoghegan, a businessman, in a low-key afternoon ceremony in Dublin, on a day in which she attended to a number of significant political meetings.