Neale Richmond (born 15 March 1983) is an Irish

Fine Gael Fine Gael (, ; English: "Family (or Tribe) of the Irish") is a liberal-conservative and Christian-democratic political party in Ireland. Fine Gael is currently the third-largest party in the Republic of Ireland in terms of members of Dáil É ...

politician who has served as

Minister of State Minister of State is a title borne by politicians in certain countries governed under a parliamentary system. In some countries a Minister of State is a Junior Minister of government, who is assigned to assist a specific Cabinet Minister. I ...

since 2023. He has been a

Teachta Dála A Teachta Dála ( , ; plural ), abbreviated as TD (plural ''TDanna'' in Irish, TDs in English), is a member of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas (the Irish Parliament). It is the equivalent of terms such as ''Member of Parl ...

(TD) for the Dublin Rathdown constituency since the 2020 general election. He previously served as a

Senator A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...

for the Labour Panel from 2016 to 2020.

Education

A native of

Ballinteer Ballinteer () is a small southside suburb of Dublin, located in Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown, Ireland, extensively developed from the late 1960s onwards. Geography Ballinteer is located approximately from the city centre. To the west is Rat ...

, Richmond was educated at Taney Parish Primary School and Wesley College, before graduating from

University College Dublin University College Dublin (commonly referred to as UCD) ( ga, Coláiste na hOllscoile, Baile Átha Cliath) is a public research university in Dublin, Ireland, and a member institution of the National University of Ireland. With 33,284 student ...

, with a BA in History in 2004 and an MA in Political Science in 2005. He lives in Stepaside with his wife and family. He is a member of the

Church of Ireland The Church of Ireland ( ga, Eaglais na hÉireann, ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Kirk o Airlann, ) is a Christian church in Ireland and an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. It is organised on an all-Ireland basis and is the sec ...

Political career

While studying in UCD, Richmond was chair of the UCD branch of Young Fine Gael. He was elected to

Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown County Council Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown County Council ( ga, Comhairle Contae Dhún Laoghaire–Ráth an Dúin) is the authority responsible for local government in the county of Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown, Ireland. It is one of three local authorities th ...

in 2009 to represent the Glencullen–Sandyford local electoral area. Richmond was re-elected to the Council in 2014 on the first count. Following his re-election to the council, he was appointed by the

Taoiseach The Taoiseach is the head of government, or prime minister, of Ireland. The office is appointed by the president of Ireland upon the nomination of Dáil Éireann (the lower house of the Oireachtas, Ireland's national legislature) and the of ...

as one of Ireland's nine delegates to the European Committee of the Regions. He was elected to

Seanad Éireann Seanad Éireann (, ; "Senate of Ireland") is the upper house of the Oireachtas (the Irish legislature), which also comprises the President of Ireland and Dáil Éireann (the lower house). It is commonly called the Seanad or Senate and its memb ...

in 2016 for the Labour Panel. He was appointed Chair of the Seanad Select Committee on the decision of the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and ...

to leave the

European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational union, supranational political union, political and economic union of Member state of the European Union, member states that are located primarily in Europe, Europe. The union has a total area of ...

on 23 February 2017. Following the 2020 general election, Richmond was elected to

Dáil Éireann Dáil Éireann ( , ; ) is the lower house, and principal chamber, of the Oireachtas (Irish legislature), which also includes the President of Ireland and Seanad Éireann (the upper house).Article 15.1.2º of the Constitution of Ireland rea ...

as a Fine Gael TD for the Dublin Rathdown constituency, taking the second seat in the three-seat constituency behind Catherine Martin and ahead of party colleague Josepha Madigan. He has previously worked as an advisor in the

European Parliament The European Parliament (EP) is one of the Legislature, legislative bodies of the European Union and one of its seven Institutions of the European Union, institutions. Together with the Council of the European Union (known as the Council and in ...

and

, as well as a Projects Manager in the not-for-profit sector. On 13 January 2023, he was appointed as

Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment The Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment is a junior ministerial post in the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment of the Government of Ireland and assists the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employ ...

and

Minister of State at the Department of Social Protection The Minister of State at the Department of Social Protection is a junior ministerial post in the Department of Social Protection of the Government of Ireland who may perform functions delegated by the Minister for Social Protection. A Minister of ...

following the resignation of Damien English.

Political views

Richmond is a strong advocate of the European Union and Ireland's interests in it. He is an outspoken critic of

Brexit Brexit (; a portmanteau of "British exit") was the Withdrawal from the European Union, withdrawal of the United Kingdom (UK) from the European Union (EU) at 23:00 Greenwich Mean Time, GMT on 31 January 2020 (00:00 1 February 2020 Central Eur ...

. He was a columnist at

Slugger O'Toole Slugger O'Toole is a weblog started in June 2002 by political analyst Mick Fealty. It began life as Letter to Slugger O'Toole, focused primarily on news and comment about Northern Ireland. From the beginning it has drawn its readership from a ...

. Richmond has expressed his opposition to Irish neutrality, describing it as "morally degenerate". He stated his initial disinterest in, but ultimate support for, the issue of

same-sex marriage Same-sex marriage, also known as gay marriage, is the marriage of two people of the same sex or gender. marriage between same-sex couples is legally performed and recognized in 33 countries, with the most recent being Mexico, constituting ...

. Richmond supported the referendum to repeal the Eighth Amendment. He has been strongly critical of

Sinn Féin Sinn Féin ( , ; en, " eOurselves") is an Irish republican and democratic socialist political party active throughout both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. The original Sinn Féin organisation was founded in 1905 by Arthur Gr ...

and the

Provisional IRA The Irish Republican Army (IRA; ), also known as the Provisional Irish Republican Army, and informally as the Provos, was an Irish republican paramilitary organisation that sought to end British rule in Northern Ireland, facilitate Irish re ...

. He is in favour of the

Republic of Ireland Ireland ( ga, Éire ), also known as the Republic of Ireland (), is a country in north-western Europe consisting of 26 of the 32 counties of the island of Ireland. The capital and largest city is Dublin, on the eastern side of the island. ...

rejoining

the Commonwealth The Commonwealth of Nations, simply referred to as the Commonwealth, is a political association of member states of the Commonwealth of Nations, 56 member states, the vast majority of which are former territorial evolution of the British Empire ...

in the context of a

United Ireland United Ireland, also referred to as Irish reunification, is the proposition that all of Ireland should be a single sovereign state. At present, the island is divided politically; the sovereign Republic of Ireland has jurisdiction over the maj ...

. Richmond wears the Irish branch of the

Royal British Legion The Royal British Legion (RBL), formerly the British Legion, is a British charity providing financial, social and emotional support to members and veterans of the British Armed Forces, their families and dependants, as well as all others in ...

's "shamrock remembrance poppy" to commemorate 200,000 Irish soldiers who fought and 35,000 Irish soldiers who died in

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...

. Richmond has stated that he believes the Easter lily "has become offensive". Richmond has attended July 12th celebrations marking the

Battle of the Boyne The Battle of the Boyne ( ga, Cath na Bóinne ) was a battle in 1690 between the forces of the deposed King James II of England and Ireland, VII of Scotland, and those of King William III who, with his wife Queen Mary II (his cousin and J ...

and has had meetings with the Orange Order, which his grandfather was a member of.

References

External links

Neale Richmond's page on the Fine Gael website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Richmond, Neale 1983 births Living people Fine Gael senators Members of the 25th Seanad Politicians from County Dublin People educated at Wesley College, Dublin Alumni of University College Dublin Local councillors in Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown Irish Anglicans Members of the 33rd Dáil Ministers of State of the 33rd Dáil