Seán Sherlock

Seán Sherlock (born 6 December 1972) is an Irish Labour Party politician who has been a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Cork East constituency since the 2007 general election. He previously served as Minister of State for Overseas Development Assistance, Trade Promotion and North South Cooperation from 2014 to 2016 and Minister of State for Research and Innovation from 2011 to 2014.[1]

Seán Sherlock

TD
Minister of State for Overseas Development Assistance, Trade Promotion and North South Cooperation
In office
15 July 2014 – 6 May 2016
TaoiseachEnda Kenny
Preceded byNew office
Succeeded byJoe McHugh
Minister of State for Research and Innovation
In office
19 March 2011 – 15 July 2014
TaoiseachEnda Kenny
Preceded byNew office
Succeeded byDamien English
Teachta Dála
Assumed office
May 2007
ConstituencyCork East
Personal details
Born (1972-12-06) 6 December 1972
Cork, Ireland
NationalityIrish
Political partyLabour Party
Spouse(s)Máire Ní Ríordáin (m. 2015)
RelationsJoe Sherlock (Father)
Children1
Alma materUniversity College Galway

Early life

Sherlock was born in Cork in 1972, but is a native of Mallow, County Cork. He is the son of Joe Sherlock, who at the time was an Official Sinn Féin member of Cork County Council. He was educated locally at St. Patrick's Boys' National School and the Patrician Academy, before later attending Cork College of Commerce. Sherlock subsequently studied at University College Galway,[2] where he completed a degree in Economics and Politics.

Political career

Sherlock first became directly involved in politics when he served a six-month internship with MEP Proinsias De Rossa, in his office at the European Parliament. Following the completion of his internship he was offered a full-time job working as an assistant to de Rossa.

In 2002, Sherlock served as election manager for his father in his attempt to win back a seat in the Cork East constituency at the general election as a Labour Party candidate. The campaign was successful; Joe Sherlock returned to Dáil Éireann after a ten-year absence.

The abolition of the dual mandate in 2003 meant that Joe Sherlock had to vacate his seats on Mallow Town Council and Cork County Council. Seán was chosen as his replacement and he was co-opted onto both councils that year. The following year he won both seats in his own right when he was successful at the local elections. He was then elected Mayor of Mallow.

When Joe Sherlock announced that he would not be contesting the 2007 general election, Seán was once again chosen as a replacement candidate. He contested Cork East for the Labour Party and was elected.[3] A Fianna Fáil-headed government returned to power once again. Seán Sherlock was subsequently appointed Labour Party Spokesperson on Agriculture and Food.

Sherlock retained his Dáil seat at the 2011 general election, topping the poll in Cork East. When the new coalition government was formed he was tipped for possible inclusion in the cabinet; however, he joined the junior ministerial ranks as Minister of State for Research and Innovation.[4]

In January 2012, Sherlock proposed legislation to give copyright holders the right to seek an injunction against copyright violators. A group called 'Stop SOPA Ireland' petitioned against the legislation, comparisons being made between these reforms and the Stop Online Piracy Act in the United States. Sherlock said such comparisons were "not based on fact".[5] According to the Irish government the legislation was intended to close a loophole after a High Court case in 2010, in which EMI sued UPC, an internet service provider, over illegal downloads. A denial-of-service attack was performed against government websites in protest over the changes.[6]

On 29 February 2012, Sherlock signed the legislation into law. He cited Ireland's "obligations under EU law".[7][8] The legislation subsequently resulted in the blocking of The Pirate Bay in Ireland.[9]

Minister of State & re-elections 2014 - present

On 15 July 2014, he was appointed as Minister of State with responsibility for Overseas Development Assistance, Trade Promotion and North–South Cooperation at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.[10] Following the 2016 general election, Sherlock was one of seven remaining Labour TD's.[11][12] He opposed going into coalition with Fine Gael during the government formation talks that year.[13] He was Party Spokesperson on Children and Youth Affairs and the Environment in the 32nd Dáil and was re-elected at the 2020 general election.[14][15] Sherlock ruled out contesting the Labour Party leadership following the announcement of Brendan Howlin's intentions to stand down.[16] He nominated Alan Kelly to run for party leader.[17][18] Sherlock was appointed Labour Party Spokesperson on Social Protection, Rural and Community Affairs and the Islands, including Agriculture and the Marine.[19]

See also

References
  1. "Seán Sherlock". Oireachtas Members Database. Retrieved 17 June 2019.
  2. "Former NUI Galway Students, including Taoiseach, take senior roles in Cabinet". Spring 2011. Archived from the original on 9 May 2012.
  3. "Seán Sherlock". ElectionsIreland.org. Retrieved 18 April 2009.
  4. "Kenny breaks election pledge by not cutting junior ministers". Irish Examiner. 11 March 2011. Retrieved 18 March 2011.
  5. Edwards, Elaine (26 January 2012). "Copyright 'piracy' measurepublished". The Irish Times. Retrieved 29 January 2012.
  6. "Anti copyright hackers claim responsibility for government website attacks". Irish Independent. 25 January 2012. Retrieved 29 January 2012.
  7. "Sherlock signs copyright amendment law". RTÉ News. Raidió Teilifís Éireann. 29 February 2012. Retrieved 29 February 2012.
  8. Carbery, Genevieve (29 February 2012). "Internet copyright law signed". The Irish Times. Retrieved 29 February 2012.
  9. "Ireland's High Court orders six ISPs to block access to The Pirate Bay". Silicon Republic. 16 June 2013. Retrieved 2 July 2014.
  10. "Simon Harris among new Ministers of State". RTÉ News. 15 July 2014.
  11. MacGuill, Dan. "Labour just had the worst election in its 104-year history". TheJournal.ie. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
  12. "Cork East looking to be very much 'as you are'". independent. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
  13. Roche, Barry. "Labour's Sean Sherlock against coalition deal with Fine Gael". The Irish Times. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
  14. O'Halloran, Marie. "Election 2020: Seán Sherlock (Labour)". The Irish Times. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
  15. O'Halloran, Marie. "Three embarrassing defeats for Government in last votes of the year in Dáil". The Irish Times. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
  16. "Sherlock rules himself out of Labour leadership contest after Brendan Howlin calls it quits". Echo Live. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
  17. Duffy, Rónán. "Alan Kelly v Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: Two TDs set to compete for Labour leadership". TheJournal.ie. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
  18. "'There is a hard road ahead' — Alan Kelly launches bid for Labour leadership". Extra.ie. 18 February 2020. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
  19. TheCork.ie (7 July 2020). "Cork retains Agri TD as Labour's Sean Sherlock appointed spokesman on Social Protection & Agriculture". TheCork.ie (News). Retrieved 4 September 2020.
Oireachtas
Preceded by
Joe Sherlock
(Labour Party)		 Labour Party Teachta Dála for Cork East
2007–present		 Incumbent
Political offices
New office Minister of State for Research and Innovation
2011–2014		 Succeeded by
Damien English
Minister of State for Overseas Development Assistance,
Trade Promotion and North South cooperation
2014–2016		 Succeeded by
Joe McHugh
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