Martin Heydon

Martin Heydon (born 9 August 1978) is an Irish Fine Gael politician who has served as Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine with responsibility for Research & Development, Farm Safety and New Market Development since July 2020. He has been a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Kildare South constituency since 2011. He previously served as the Chairman of the Fine Gael Parliamentary Party from 2016 to 2020.[1][2]

Martin Heydon

TD
Minister of State for Research & Development, Farm Safety and New Market Development
Assumed office
1 July 2020
TaoiseachMicheál Martin
Preceded byAndrew Doyle
Chairman of the Fine Gael Parliamentary Party
In office
1 March 2016 – 1 July 2020
LeaderEnda Kenny
Leo Varadkar
Preceded byDan Neville
Succeeded byRichard Bruton
Teachta Dála
Assumed office
February 2011
ConstituencyKildare South
Personal details
Born (1978-08-09) 9 August 1978
Portlaoise, County Laois, Ireland
NationalityIrish
Political partyFine Gael
Spouse(s)Brianne Leahy (m. 2009)
Children4
Alma materKildalton Agricultural College
Websitemartinheydon.com
Heydon's constituency office in Newbridge

Early life

Heydon is a native of South County Kildare and lives outside of Kilcullen town, owning a family farm.[3] He was educated in Crookstown National School, Cross and Passion College Kilcullen and Teagasc Kildalton Agricultural College in County Kilkenny.[4]

Political career

Heydon joined Fine Gael in 2008. He was elected to Kildare County Council following the 2009 local elections, at his first attempt. He was replaced on Kildare County Council following his Dáil Éireann election in February 2011, by Councillor Ivan Keatley.[4]

He was the first Fine Gael TD to be elected in the Kildare South constituency, after Alan Dukes lost his seat in 2002. Heydon ran on his own for the party in 2011 and polled over 12,000 votes to be returned as a first-time TD on the first count, his first attempt in a general election.[5] He was more than 3,000 votes above the quota and as a result Newbridge Fine Gael Councillor Fiona McLoughlin Healy was added to the ballot for the 2016 general election as his running mate.[6]

Heydon won parliamentary re-election following the 2016 general election, topping the poll in Kildare South.[7]

He served as Chair of Fine Gael's Internal Committee on Agriculture and Rural Affairs between 2011 and 2016.[8]

On 8 June 2016, Heydon was elected Chairman of the Fine Gael Parliamentary Party, succeeding retired Limerick TD Dan Neville. Carlow–Kilkenny TD Pat Deering was elected Vice Chair, by the Parliamentary Party. Heydon's responsibilities in this role include chairing the weekly meeting of Fine Gael TDs and Senators in Leinster House, and representing the party through the European People's Party (EPP) in the European Parliament.[9][10]

Following the formation of the Government of the 33rd Dáil, Heydon was appointed Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.

Personal life

Heydon is married to pharmacist and former ladies' GAA All-Star Brianne Leahy.[11] The couple have three sons and a daughter.[12]

He is an officer of his local Gaelic football club, St Laurence's GAA.[13]

References
  1. "Martin Heydon". Oireachtas Members Database. Retrieved 8 October 2011.
  2. "Martin Heydon". ElectionsIreland.org. Retrieved 8 October 2011.
  3. "Hunk Heydon is top of the sex-appeal poll". Irish Independent. 30 May 2009. Retrieved 27 February 2016.
  4. "Martin Heydon TD". Fine Gael. Retrieved 20 February 2016.
  5. "Martin Heydon". TheJournal.ie. Retrieved 8 October 2011.
  6. Davin-Power, David. "Kildare South constituency". RTÉ News. Retrieved 20 February 2016.
  7. Gartland, Fiona (27 February 2016). "Kildare South results: Mark Heydon (FG) tops poll as Fianna Fáil takes 2 remaining seats". The Irish Times. Retrieved 28 February 2016.
  8. "New Fund for Agri-Business Start Ups recognises Importance of this sector for Rural Ireland – Heydon". Martin Heydon TD. Retrieved 20 February 2016.
  9. "Heydon honoured to be elected Chair of Fine Gael Parliamentary Party". Fine Gael Parliamentary Party. Retrieved 16 June 2016.
  10. "Fellow politicians congratulate Kildare TD on appointment to major new role". Kildare Now. 9 June 2016. Retrieved 16 June 2016.
  11. "TD Martin Heydon marries his All-Star Brianne Leahy". Leinster Leader. 28 May 2013. Retrieved 20 February 2016.
  12. "Kildare Now". Kildare Now. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  13. Gartland, Fiona (27 February 2016). "Profile: Martin Heydon (FG)". The Irish Times. Retrieved 28 February 2016.
Oireachtas
Preceded by
Seán Power
(Fianna Fáil)		 Fine Gael Teachta Dála for Kildare South
2011–present		 Incumbent
Political offices
Preceded by
Andrew Doyle		 Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture
2020–present		 Incumbent
Party political offices
Preceded by
Dan Neville		 Chairman of the Fine Gael parliamentary party
2016–2020		 Succeeded by
Richard Bruton
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.