Noel Treacy (18 December 1951 – 2 February 2022) was an Irish

Fianna Fáil Fianna Fáil (, ; meaning 'Soldiers of Destiny' or 'Warriors of Fál'), officially Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party ( ga, audio=ga-Fianna Fáil.ogg, Fianna Fáil – An Páirtí Poblachtánach), is a conservative and Christian- ...

politician who served as 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 Parli ...

(TD) for the Galway East constituency from 1982 to 2011. He 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. In o ...

in a number of departments over his career.

Early life

Treacy was born in

Ballinasloe Ballinasloe ( ; ) is a town in the easternmost part of County Galway in Connacht. Located at an ancient crossing point on the River Suck, evidence of ancient settlement in the area includes a number of Bronze Age sites. Built around a 12th-ce ...

County Galway "Righteousness and Justice" , anthem = () , image_map = Island of Ireland location map Galway.svg , map_caption = Location in Ireland , area_footnotes = , area_total_km2 = ...

, in 1951. He was educated at Gurteen National School and St. Joseph's College, Garbally Park in Ballinasloe. He worked as an auctioneer and financial services manager before entering public life. He was married to Mary Cloonan and had three daughters and one son.

Political career

Treacy joined Fianna Fáil at 17 in 1969. Treacy was first 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 read ...

at a by-election in July 1982 caused by the death of Fianna Fáil TD

Johnny Callanan John Callanan (20 May 1910 – 15 June 1982) was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician from County Galway. Callanan was born in the village of Kilconnell, near Ballinasloe, County Galway, to a farming family. In the 1950s, he was an active member o ...

and was re-elected at each election until his retirement in 2011. His election marked the last time a government party was successful in winning a by-election until the election of

Patrick Nulty Patrick Nulty (born 18 November 1982) is a teacher, university lecturer and former Irish Labour Party politician. He was elected as a Teachta Dála (TD) for Dublin West at a by-election in October 2011. He sat as an independent TD after losing ...

of the Labour Party in the Dublin West by-election in 2011. He was a member of

Galway County Council Galway County Council ( ga, Comhairle Chontae na Gaillimhe) is the authority responsible for local government in County Galway, Ireland. As a county council, it is governed by the Local Government Act 2001. The council is responsible for hous ...

from 1985 to 1991. In March 1987, Fianna Fáil returned to government under

Charles Haughey Charles James Haughey (; 16 September 1925 – 13 June 2006) was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician who served as Taoiseach on three occasions – 1979 to 1981, March to December 1982 and 1987 to 1992. He was also Minister for the Gaeltacht from ...

, and Treacy was appointed as

Minister of State at the Department of Finance The Minister of State at the Department of Finance is a junior ministerial post in the Department of Finance of the Government of Ireland. A Minister of State Minister of State is a title borne by politicians in certain countries governed u ...

, with special responsibility for the

Office of Public Works The Office of Public Works (OPW) ( ga, Oifig na nOibreacha Poiblí) (legally the Commissioners of Public Works in Ireland) is a major Irish Government agency, which manages most of the Irish State's property portfolio, including hundreds of ow ...

and the Central Development Committee. The following year he was appointed to an additional role as

Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach The Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach is a junior ministerial post in the Department of the Taoiseach of the Government of Ireland who performs duties and functions delegated by the Taoiseach. The position was first created ...

, with responsibility for Heritage, the first minister assigned with this responsibility. After the 1989 general election, Fianna Fáil formed a coalition government with the

Progressive Democrats The Progressive Democrats ( ga, An Páirtí Daonlathach, literally "The Democratic Party" ), commonly referred to as the PDs, was a conservative-liberal political party in the Republic of Ireland. Launched on 21 December 1985 by Desmond O'Mal ...

. Treacy was appointed as

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

with responsibility for Children. In February 1991, he was reassigned as

Minister of State at the Department of Justice The Minister of State at the Department of Justice is a junior ministerial post in the Department of Justice of the Government of Ireland who performs duties and functions delegated by the Minister for Justice. A Minister of State does not hold c ...

with responsibility for Law Reform. He was sacked by Haughey in November 1991. In February 1992,

Albert Reynolds Albert Martin Reynolds (3 November 1932 – 21 August 2014) was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician who served as Taoiseach from 1992 to 1994, Leader of Fianna Fáil from 1992 to 1994, Minister for Finance from 1988 to 1991, Minister for Industry ...

succeeded Haughey as Taoiseach, and Treacy was appointed again as Minister of State at the Department of Finance, with special responsibility for the

and the Central Development Committee. In January 1993, Fianna Fáil formed a coalition government with the Labour Party (Ireland), Labour Party. Treacy was appointed as Minister of State at the Departments of the Taoiseach, at the Department of Finance and at the Department of Transport, Energy and Communications with responsibility for Energy. This government lost office in December 1994. Fianna Fáil returned to government in June 1997 under

Bertie Ahern Bartholomew Patrick "Bertie" Ahern (born 12 September 1951) is an Irish former Fianna Fáil politician who served as Taoiseach from 1997 to 2008, Leader of Fianna Fáil from 1994 to 2008, Leader of the Opposition from 1994 to 1997, Tánaiste a ...

Taoiseach The Taoiseach is the head of government, or prime minister, of Republic of Ireland, 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 legisl ...

. In October 1997, Treacy was appointed

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 at the Department of Education and Science with responsibility for science and technology, replacing Michael Smith who had been promoted to cabinet following the resignation of Ray Burke. Following the 2002 general election, he was appointed Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture and Food, with responsibility for Food and Horticulture. He unsuccessfully contested the

1999 European Parliament election The 1999 European Parliament election was a European election for all 626 members of the European Parliament held across the 15 European Union member states on 10, 11 and 13 June 1999. The voter turn-out was generally low, except in Belgium and ...

in Connacht–Ulster. In reshuffle in September 2004, Treacy was appointed as

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

and at the Department of the Taoiseach, with special responsibility for European Affairs. Treacy was returned to Dáil Éireann at the 2007 general election. This was his eighth successive time being elected. Following 17 years as a Minister of State in various governments, Treacy was not reappointed to a junior ministerial post by then Taoiseach Bertie Ahern. He was subsequently appointed Chairman of Joint

Oireachtas The Oireachtas (, ), sometimes referred to as Oireachtas Éireann, is the Bicameralism, bicameral parliament of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. The Oireachtas consists of: *The President of Ireland *The bicameralism, two houses of the Oireachtas ...

Committee on the implementation of the

Good Friday Agreement The Good Friday Agreement (GFA), or Belfast Agreement ( ga, Comhaontú Aoine an Chéasta or ; Ulster-Scots: or ), is a pair of agreements signed on 10 April 1998 that ended most of the violence of The Troubles, a political conflict in No ...

. He retired from politics at the 2011 general election.

Personal life

Treacy served as the chairman of Galway County GAA Board for five years and, afterwards, served on the Connacht Council. He died on 2 February 2022, at the age of 70.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Treacy, Noel 1951 births 2022 deaths Chairmen of county boards of the Gaelic Athletic Association Connacht Provincial Council administrators Fianna Fáil TDs Galway County Board administrators Local councillors in County Galway Members of the 23rd Dáil Members of the 24th Dáil Members of the 25th Dáil Members of the 26th Dáil Members of the 27th Dáil Members of the 28th Dáil Members of the 29th Dáil Members of the 30th Dáil Ministers of State of the 25th Dáil Ministers of State of the 26th Dáil Ministers of State of the 27th Dáil Ministers of State of the 28th Dáil Ministers of State of the 29th Dáil People educated at Garbally College People from Ballinasloe Politicians from County Galway