Senator John Minihan (born November 1957 in Co. Cork, Ireland) is an Irish politician and member of the 22nd Seanad Éireann for the Progressive Democrats. He had previously served in the Irish Defence Forces where he attained the rank of captain. During this time he was rumoured to be shipping arms to the apartheid regime in South Africa. He is standing as Progressive Democrat candidate for the Cork South Central constituency in the 2007 general election.
Life Before Politics
John Minihan entered Military College in November 1975 and was stationed in the Eastern Command section. He served three tours of duty with United Nations peacekeeping forces in Lebanon. After his final tour of duty in Lebanon, he returned to Cork where he served as Adjutant in Collins Barracks. In 1996 he retired at the rank of captain to run the family pharmacy business.
Political Career
Minihan entered local politics in 1999 when he was elected to Cork City Council on behalf of the Progressive Democrats. In July 2003 he was elected Chairman of the Progressive Democrats.
After the 2002 general election he was a member of the three-man team representing the Progressive Democrats which negotiated the terms under which the party entered government in coalition with Fianna Fáil.
Subsequently, upon recommendation by Mary Harney TD, then Progressive Democrat party leader and Táinaiste, John Minihan was appointed by the Taoiseach Bertie Ahern to the Seanad Éireann, where on the 12th September he made his maiden speech speaking on the Treaty of Nice.
Since then he has represented the Progressive Democrats and Co. Cork in the Oireachtas, serving in various committees and jobs including Chairman of the Progressive Democrat parliamentary party. John Minihan is currently coordinator of the Oireachtas Joint Houses Friends of Science Committee. He is a member of the Joint Oireachtas committees on Education & Science, and is party spokesman on Education, Defence and Childcare.
In January 2006 he was selected to run for a Dáil seat representing the Progressive Democrats in the Cork South Central in the 2007 general election.
Political Views
John Minihan is generally viewed as being part of the moderate liberal wing of the Progressive Democrats, being closely associated with Minister for Health and former party leader Mary Harney. During his time at the Seanad, and for his general election campaign, the issues he has focused on include:
- Abolition of Stamp Duty [1]
- The extension and renovation of state schools [2],
- Opposition to Sinn Féin and the IRA
- Improvement of local transport networks (such as a complete renovation of Kent Station [3]
- Granting full independence to Cork Airport
- Introduction of new blood testing equipment to the Irish Blood Transfusion Service
- Coordination and communications development for Cork's major hospitals to provide more efficient care
- Ending homelessness in Ireland [4]