Galway Advertiser 1989/1989_06_01/GA_01061989_E1_004.pdf 

Extracted text

MAIRE--FACING CHALLENGES
Maire Geoghegan Quinn walks through Quay St. Well wishers greet her, and wish her success on June 15th. One man tells her she is looking well. She is. Tanned and relaxed she is looking for ward to the challenge of the election, and believes that Fianna Fail has done well during its two years in office. "Of course there have been problems, but we had to make the decision to tackle the financial situation and aim for a more efficent public service. Reforming the health services hasn't been without pain, she admits, but she believes when done it will be the best service in Europe. "There will be a lot of people who voted for us last time who will have reservations this time, but we did what we saw had to be done to stop financial disaster. Anybody who looks seriously at the alternative will see that Fianna Fail offers the best policies." A life of Politics
Married with two boys, Ruairii 14) and Cormac (9) Maire was first elected to the Dail in 1975. Since then she has risen through the Fianna Fail ranks. In 1979 she became Minister of State in the Department of Industry and after that was Minister for the Gaeltacht. She has held other various positions, the most recent being Minister for State at the Depart ment of the Taoiseach with special responsibility for European Affairs, a job which has had its share of challenges. Political challenges are nothing new to Maire though. She was born in Carna in 1950 and her father, Johnny, was first elected to the Dail in 1954 representing Fianna Fail in Galway West. As a result she says, she and her brother never really knew a life where politics wasn't important, and she made her first political ap pearance at the age of 15. She laughs at the memory. "It was during the 1966 General Election when I spoke for my father. I was at school at Colaiste Mhuire. Tur Mhic Eadaigh and very much irvolved in debating. He had been at one final in the Great Southern Hotel and decided that, since I was well able to argue, I could use my talents to help him. It involved speaking out side the local church after Sunday Mass which I did, and I was probably only awful!"

she got married she ex pected her life to be map ped out in the traditional manner. But it was not to be! During the time that she had been training and teaching in Dublin, before moving back to Galway Maire had been closely in volved in her father's con stituency work. " I spent a lot of time in Leinster House, met a lot of politicans and was very in terested in the whole pro cess of government. In 1975 when her father died she was asked by Par ty members to stand in the by-election caused by his death. "The Party Conven tion was a real baptism of fire for me. I knew it wasn't going to be easy to get nominated to stand in the election, and believe me, it wasn't. Being my father's daughter helped, but being a woman did make it difficult, especial ly in 1975." Generally, she believes it's more difficult for women in politics, and not just in Fianna Fail. "After 14 years as a T.D. I still find that women have to work harder than men and that is very frustrating. It's not easy because you have to be strong and efficent while retaining femininity." In the last Dail she was Chairman of the Oireachtas All Party Com mittee on Womens' Rights. This was responsible for bringing about the change in the Rape laws changes which she and women from the other parties felt were badly needed, but didn't come about easily because the government was dealing with so many other issues." As Minister for State with special responsibility for European Affairs, Maire found her role very challenging and satisfying. It involved being involved in decision making on the Foreign Affairs Council of Ministers, the Budget Council of Ministers and the Cultural Council. "The only problem is that it meant being away from Galway quite a lot and it can be difficult for people to appreciate the work being done in Europe."

laughs and I feel that I would be able to do more for Galway city if I were actually sitting around the cabinet table which I am not at present. She is quick to point out that, living in Knocknacarra she is the only Fianna Fail T.D. in the city. " I feel that because Galway is seen as being prosperous there is a fear of leaving us to our own devices. I have work ed to ensure that we haven't been without sup port, and feel it's impor tant to continue to promote Galway."

"An

Honest party"

While there have been many cutbacks in the past two years she says that the Government is held in check by the parliamen tary party. We have pret ty hectic meetings when local T.D.s bring their messages of how things

are affecting people in their areas. "Fianna Fail is a very honest party and members have different views on many issues. This is where we draw our strength from," she confides. She has great respect for Charles Haughey and says that he is an extremely hard worker. "He is very demanding but he won't ask you to do something that he wouldn't do himself" she adds. Politics is a demanding life and she says that it does demand family sup port. It has its funny moments though she says, especially when people don't recognise her hus band, and make off the cuff, sometimes un complimentary remarks about her in his presence. Family is important to her, and she insists on every Sunday being free to spend with John and the

boys. There was a time, when she was Minister for the Gaeltacht in '81 that she thought about leaving politics because of a deci sion which was made to close two factories in the Gaeltacht. "The final deci sion was taken by the Udaras and was a necessary one because theses factories were just losing money. However people picketed my house constantly and it really af fected my family." Her career to date has been an exciting one and she has kept a diary of her experiences. Eventually she hopes to write her memoirs, but as June 15th approaches she hopes that these memoirs will not be written for a long time yet, and that there will be many more events to re count when she eventually does.

DG AD DNES OS N OKY FR TE F I O H A R

"Europe becoming more Relevant"
She does feel that Europe is becoming more relevant to Irish people and doesn't think that the General Election on June 15th will detract from the Euro Elections. "The launch of the Na tional Development Plan has shown how much our future is linked with Europe. It contains the blueprint for the next five year's development and has really caught people's imaginations. Europe has been her area, and Maire has also been in charge of the government's 1992 cam paign, informing com panies and businesses what it will entail. "There Maire Geoghegan Quinn into Politics from a young is a huge market out there, twice the size of the U.S. age. and if Ireland is to com ing a fulltime career in pete and succeed we must "A Baptism Of politics. After school she be ready." Fire" In a future government went to Carysfort Teacher Despite her involve Training College in Dublin she wouldn't object to a ment and interest. Maire where she qualified in new portfolio. "A change is never saw herself as hav Primary teaching. When as good as a rest," she

Mary Monhan and Christien Healy of Ireland West Tourism at the reception an nouncing details of the Galway Game and Country Fair being held on the ISth July this year. The son must shine on 16th of July this year. Mat ter not that this isn't St. Swithin's Day and the state of the weather won't be affected for the follow ing 40. No, it is vital that the sun shines for the 16th of July is the day of the Galway Game and Coun try Fair which will be held in the UCG Sports Ground in Dangan. It really is a day for everybody, whether you are a terribly active per son, or the type who just likes to stroll and savour atmosphere. Events tak ing place include falconry, archery, wildlife displays, bonny baby competitions, kiddies amusements, and then there are the dogs! Dogs feature large in this years Game and Coun try Fair. A really big event is the International Gun dog Tests and this is at tracting people from England. Scotland and Wales as well as Ireland. For those who might have a slightly less serious attitude towards canine creatures, the performing sheepdogs and terriers of Philip Keogh should cer tainly entertain. These little geniuses who climb ladders and pull car riages among other stunts have already entertained both President Hillery and amused Ronald Reagan when he visited Ballyporeen Last year they stole the show at the National Ploughing Cham pionships, and there is a good chance that they will do the same when they feature in the main arena of the Game and Country Fair. They will face competi tion though, and the Donkey Darby for the Dangan Plate which will also take place in the main arena is expected to at tract large crowds. The Bushy Park Gun Club which organises the event also realises the im portance of informing peo ple aboout wild life. There will be a wildlife quiz for young people with magnificent prizes for the winners. As well as this there will be a display of wildlife projects from various schools in the area. For those who like machinery the Vintage Cars and Farm Machinery should thrill. Water sports are also catered for and there will be trade stands and demonstrations. The Game and Country Fair is recognised as being one of the most enjoyable events of the year in Galway. Last year almost 10,000 people attended, this year, with the Interna tional Gun Dog Trials,, it is expected that even more will be there to sample the best of rural life. Proceeds from the day will go to local charities.