Jimmy Devins

Irish former Fianna Fáil politician (born 1948)

2007–2009Enterprise, Trade and Employment2007–2009Education and Science2007–2008Justice, Equality and Law Reform2007–2008Health and ChildrenTeachta DálaIn office
May 2007 – February 2011ConstituencySligo–North LeitrimIn office
May 2002 – May 2007ConstituencySligo–Leitrim Personal detailsBorn (1948-09-20) 20 September 1948 (age 75)
Sligo, IrelandPolitical partyFianna FáilSpouse
Mary Devins
(m. 1975)
RelativesJames Devins (grandfather)Alma mater
  • University College Dublin
  • Trinity College Dublin

James Devins (born 20 September 1948) is an Irish former Fianna Fáil politician who served as a Minister of State in various government departments from 2007 to 2009. He served as a Teachta Dála (TD) from 2002 to 2011.[1]

Early and personal life

Devins is a medical doctor by profession, and worked as a GP in Sligo from 1975. His grandfather, James Devins, served a Sinn Féin TD for Sligo–Mayo East from 1921 to 1922.[2] He is married to Judge Mary Devins.[3]

Political career

Devins was elected to Sligo County Council in 1991 and re-elected in 1999.[4] He was first elected to Dáil Éireann at the 2002 general election as a Fianna Fáil TD for the Sligo–Leitrim constituency.[4] At the 2007 general election, he was elected for the Sligo–North Leitrim constituency.[1]

In July 2007, legislation was passed to increase the number of Ministers of State from 17 to 20, and Devins was nominated by Taoiseach Bertie Ahern to be appointed by the government to be Minister of State at the Departments of Health and Children, Education and Science, Enterprise, Trade and Employment and Justice, Equality and Law Reform, with special responsibility for disability issues and mental health, and excluding discrimination.[5][6][7][8]

In May 2008, Brian Cowen succeeded Ahern as Taoiseach, and nominated Devins to be appointed by the government to be Minister of State at the Departments of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, and Education and Science, with special responsibility for science, technology and innovation.[9][10] In April 2009, Cowen sought the resignation of all Ministers of State in order to reduce the number from 20 to 15. Devins was not one of those reappointed.[11]

On 5 August 2009, Devins (along with fellow Fianna Fáil TD Eamon Scanlon) resigned the party whip over his opposition to cuts in services at Sligo General Hospital. He stated that he would remain a member of the Fianna Fáil party.[12] He rejoined the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party on 25 January 2011, a day before the leadership election.[13]

Devins did not contest the 2011 general election.[14]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Jimmy Devins". Oireachtas Members Database. Archived from the original on 7 November 2018. Retrieved 16 December 2008.
  2. ^ "Devins salutes Liam Mellowes as a 'great champion of Irish freedom'". The Irish Times. 15 December 2008. Archived from the original on 21 May 2011. Retrieved 16 December 2008.
  3. ^ "Judge apologises for calling social welfare a Polish charity". Irish Independent. 2 August 2012. Archived from the original on 4 August 2012. Retrieved 2 August 2012.
  4. ^ a b "Jimmy Devins". ElectionsIreland.org. Archived from the original on 3 February 2009. Retrieved 16 December 2008.
  5. ^ "Appointment of Members of Government and Ministers of State – Dáil Éireann (30th Dáil) – Vol. 637 No. 2". Houses of the Oireachtas. 26 June 2007. Archived from the original on 18 December 2020. Retrieved 21 March 2020.
  6. ^ Ministers and Secretaries (Ministers of State) Act 2007, s. 1: Increase in number of Ministers of State appointed by Government (No. 33 of 2007, s. 1). Enacted on 9 July 2007. Act of the Oireachtas. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book.
  7. ^ Health and Children (Delegation of Ministerial Functions) (No. 4) Order 2007 (S.I. No. 717 of 2007). Signed on 26 September 2007. Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 1 September 2021.
  8. ^ Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Delegation of Ministerial Functions) (No. 2) Order 2007 (S.I. No. 556 of 2007). Signed on 25 July 2007. Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 1 September 2021.
  9. ^ "Appointment of Ministers of State – Dáil Éireann (30th Dáil) – Vol. 654 No. 1". Houses of the Oireachtas. 13 May 2008. Archived from the original on 28 October 2020. Retrieved 21 August 2022.
  10. ^ Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Delegation of Ministerial Functions) Order 2008 (S.I. No. 288 of 2008). Signed on 15 July 2008. Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 12 April 2021.
  11. ^ "Appointment of Ministers of State – Dáil Éireann (30th Dáil) – Vol. 680 No. 3". Houses of the Oireachtas. 22 April 2009. Archived from the original on 18 December 2020. Retrieved 28 September 2019.
  12. ^ "FF TDs resign whip over cuts". The Irish Times. 5 August 2009. Archived from the original on 22 September 2021. Retrieved 5 August 2009.
  13. ^ "FF leadership candidates address party". RTÉ News. 25 January 2011. Archived from the original on 26 January 2011. Retrieved 26 January 2011.
  14. ^ "FF's Devins to step down at next election". 11 January 2011. Archived from the original on 16 January 2011. Retrieved 11 January 2011.
Political offices
Preceded by
Brian Lenihan
Seán Power
Minister of State at the Department of Health
2007–2008
With: Brendan Smith
Pat "the Cope" Gallagher
Máire Hoctor
Succeeded by
Barry Andrews
Máire Hoctor
John Moloney
Mary Wallace
Preceded by
Michael Ahern
Tony Killeen
Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment
2007–2009
With: Michael Ahern (2007–2008)
Billy Kelleher
John McGuinness
John Moloney (2008–2009)
Succeeded by
  • v
  • t
  • e
Teachtaí Dála (TDs) for the Sligo–Leitrim constituency
This table is transcluded from Sligo–Leitrim (Dáil constituency). (edit | history)
Dáil Election Deputy
(Party)
Deputy
(Party)
Deputy
(Party)
Deputy
(Party)
Deputy
(Party)
13th 1948 Eugene Gilbride
(FF)
Stephen Flynn
(FF)
Bernard Maguire
(Ind)
Mary Reynolds
(FG)
Joseph Roddy
(FG)
14th 1951 Patrick Rogers
(FG)
15th 1954 Bernard Maguire
(Ind)
16th 1957 John Joe McGirl
(SF)
Patrick Rogers
(FG)
1961 by-election Joseph McLoughlin
(FG)
17th 1961 James Gallagher
(FF)
Eugene Gilhawley
(FG)
4 seats
1961–1969
18th 1965
19th 1969 Ray MacSharry
(FF)
3 seats
1969–1981
20th 1973 Eugene Gilhawley
(FG)
21st 1977 James Gallagher
(FF)
22nd 1981 John Ellis
(FF)
Joe McCartin
(FG)
Ted Nealon
(FG)
4 seats
1981–2007
23rd 1982 (Feb) Matt Brennan
(FF)
24th 1982 (Nov) Joe McCartin
(FG)
25th 1987 John Ellis
(FF)
26th 1989 Gerry Reynolds
(FG)
27th 1992 Declan Bree
(Lab)
28th 1997 Gerry Reynolds
(FG)
John Perry
(FG)
29th 2002 Jimmy Devins
(FF)
Marian Harkin
(Ind)
30th 2007 Constituency abolished. See Sligo–North Leitrim and Roscommon–South Leitrim


Dáil Election Deputy
(Party)
Deputy
(Party)
Deputy
(Party)
Deputy
(Party)
32nd 2016 Martin Kenny
(SF)
Marc MacSharry
(FF)
Eamon Scanlon
(FF)
Tony McLoughlin
(FG)
33rd 2020 Marian Harkin
(Ind)
Frank Feighan
(FG)
  • v
  • t
  • e
Teachtaí Dála (TDs) for the Sligo–North Leitrim constituency
This table is transcluded from Sligo–North Leitrim (Dáil constituency). (edit | history)
Dáil Election Deputy
(Party)
Deputy
(Party)
Deputy
(Party)
30th 2007 Jimmy Devins
(FF)
Eamon Scanlon
(FF)
John Perry
(FG)
31st 2011 Michael Colreavy
(SF)
Tony McLoughlin
(FG)
32nd 2016 Constituency abolished. See Sligo–Leitrim