Dick Roche

For the Irish hurler, see Dick Roche (hurler).

Richard Roche (born 30 March 1947) is an Irish former Fianna Fáil politician who served as Minister of State for European Affairs from 2002 to 2004 and 2007 to 2011 and Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government from 2004 to 2007. He served as a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Wicklow constituency from 1987 to 1992 and 1997 to 2011. He was a Senator for the Administrative Panel from 1992 to 1997.^[1]

Dick Roche
Minister of State
2007–2011	European Affairs
2002–2004	European Affairs
Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government
In office 29 September 2004 – 14 June 2007
Taoiseach	Bertie Ahern
Preceded by	Martin Cullen
Succeeded by	John Gormley
Teachta Dála
In office June 1997 – February 2011
In office February 1987 – November 1992
Constituency	Wicklow
Senator
In office 17 February 1993 – 6 June 1997
Constituency	Administrative Panel
In office 3 December 1992 – 17 February 1993
Constituency	Nominated by the Taoiseach
Personal details
Born	Richard Roche (1947-03-30) 30 March 1947 (age 77) Wexford, Ireland
Political party	Fianna Fáil
Spouse	Eleanor Griffin ​ (m. 1976)​
Children	4
Alma mater	University College Dublin

Early and private life

Roche was born in Wexford. He was educated at Wexford Christian Brothers School and University College Dublin (UCD) where he received Bachelor of Commerce Degree and a master's degree in Public Administration.

Roche is married to Eleanor Griffin, and they have three sons and one daughter. They live in County Wicklow.

On 15 December 2008, he was held hostage during a robbery at the Druids Glen Marriott Hotel and Country Club in County Wicklow.^[2][3]

Political career

Roche worked as a public servant at the Departments of Posts and Telegraphs, Transport and Power, Finance and at the Department of Economic Planning and Development. In 1978, he was appointed lecturer in Public Administration and Public Finance at UCD. In 1978, Roche became the first Irish citizen to be awarded a United Nations Human Rights fellowship. He subsequently became a member of the Irish Commission for Justice and Peace and served as a time as Chairman of the commission.

Roche began his political career when he was elected for Greystones at the 1985 Wicklow County Council election. Two years later, at the 1987 general election he was elected to Dáil Éireann as a Fianna Fáil TD for Wicklow.^[4]

Roche lost his seat at the 1992 general election, but was elected to 20th Seanad. He introduced the Freedom of Information Bill 1995, based closely on the Norwegian freedom of information legislation.^[5] He was returned to the 28th Dáil at the 1997 general election and remained a TD until 2011.

Following the 2002 general election Roche was appointed as Minister of State for European Affairs, at the Department of the Taoiseach and the Department of Foreign Affairs. In his role, he played a large role during Ireland's presidency of the European Council in 2004. In 2004, Roche was conferred with the Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana by the Government of Estonia for his support of Estonia's accession to the European Union.^[6] In 2004, he was appointed as Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. He retained his seat at the 2007 general election, but on the formation of the new government, was the only member of the outgoing cabinet to be demoted. His last act as minister was the signing of an order that was to lead to work being resumed on the controversial M3 motorway near the Hill of Tara.^[7] He was re-appointed as Minister of State for European Affairs, during which Ireland conducted two referendums on the Treaty of Lisbon.

2011 election defeat

He lost his seat at the 2011 general election, polling only 5.5% of the first preference vote, down from the 15.8% he polled four years previously. Roche prolonged the count by requesting a recount when it was found that only three votes separated him and his Fianna Fáil running mate Pat Fitzgerald, an action which was criticised by some other candidates including Fitzgerald^{[citation needed]}, who also accepted that there wouldn't be a seat for Fianna Fáil.^[8] He was not present at the announcement of his elimination which was greeted by cheering and applause from a number of people at the count centre.^[9]

References

1. "Dick Roche". Oireachtas Members Database. Archived from the original on 8 November 2018. Retrieved 30 June 2009.
2. "Roche held at gunpoint during Co Wicklow hotel robbery". The Irish Times. 15 December 2008. Archived from the original on 12 October 2012. Retrieved 7 March 2009.
3. "Minister held at gunpoint during hotel raid". RTÉ News. 15 December 2008. Archived from the original on 19 October 2012. Retrieved 7 March 2009.
4. "Dick Roche". ElectionsIreland.org. Archived from the original on 3 February 2009. Retrieved 30 June 2009.
5. "Freedom of Information Bill, 1995: Second Stage". Seanad Debates – Vol. 143 No. 15. 7 June 1995.
6. "Estonian president hands over decorations". Estonian Review. 29 February 2004. Archived from the original on 8 June 2012. Retrieved 10 September 2011.
7. "Roche approves resumption of work at Tara". RTÉ News. 14 June 2007. Archived from the original on 17 July 2007. Retrieved 14 June 2007.
8. "Dick Roche eliminated after recount". The Irish Times. 28 February 2011. Archived from the original on 4 March 2011. Retrieved 28 February 2011.
9. Keane, Kevin (1 March 2011). "Loud applause as Roche eliminated after vote challenge". Irish Independent. Ireland. Archived from the original on 13 February 2020. Retrieved 12 February 2020.

Political offices
New office	Minister of State for European Affairs 2002–2004	Succeeded by Noel Treacy
Preceded by Martin Cullen	Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government 2004–2007	Succeeded by John Gormley
Preceded by Noel Treacy	Minister of State for European Affairs 2007–2011	Succeeded by Lucinda Creighton