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Michael McNamara (born 1 March 1974) is an Irish independent politician who has been a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) from Ireland for the South constituency since July 2024. He was previously a Teachta Dála (TD) for Clare from the 2020 general election to 2024, and from 2011 to 2016.[1]
Michael McNamara | |
|---|---|
_2020_(cropped).jpg) McNamara in 2020 | |
| Member of the European Parliament | |
| Assumed office 17 July 2024 | |
| Teachta Dála | |
| In office February 2020 – 17 July 2024 | |
| In office February 2011 – February 2016 | |
| Constituency | Clare |
| Chairman of the Special Committee on the COVID-19 Response | |
| In office 12 May 2020 – 8 October 2020 | |
| Preceded by | Committee established |
| Succeeded by | Committee dissolved |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1 March 1974 Limerick, Ireland |
| Political party |
|
| Other political affiliations | Labour Party (until 2017) |
| Spouse |
Sarah Jane Hillery (m. 2015) |
| Children | 1 |
| Alma mater | |
McNamara contested the 2009 European Parliament election in the North-West constituency as an independent candidate, receiving 12,744 votes (2.6%) and failing to be elected.[2] He was elected as a Labour Party TD for Clare at the 2011 general election.[3] He was a member of the Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine,[4] and a member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe from 2011 to 2016.[5] McNamara is a barrister and has worked at the OSCE and on human rights and democracy projects of the European Union and United Nations. He was an unsuccessful independent candidate at the 2009 European Parliament election for the North-West constituency.[3]
In May 2015, McNamara was expelled from the parliamentary Labour Party for voting against the government in the sale of Aer Lingus shares, the third time he voted against the government.[6] He rejoined the parliamentary Labour Party in September 2015.[7] He lost his seat at the 2016 general election.[3]
He was elected as an independent candidate for the Clare constituency at the 2020 general election. He was the Chairman of the Special Committee on the COVID-19 Response from 12 May to 8 October 2020.[8] McNamara campaigned for a No-No vote in the 2024 referendums on the Family and Care as a member of the Lawyers for No group, alongside fellow barristers Senator Michael McDowell, Maria Steen and Brenda Power.[9][10]
McNamara was elected as an independent MEP for the South constituency at the 2024 European Parliament election.[11] He took office on 17 July 2024.[12] He sits with the Renew Europe parliamentary group.[13]
McNamara is married to Sarah Jane Hillery, the daughter of former president of Ireland Patrick Hillery.[2]
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