Dick Roche

Dick Roche (Irish Risteard de Róiste, born March 30, 1947 in Wexford, County Wexford ) is an Irish Fianna Fáil politician.

Biography

Roche worked after graduation as a lecturer and began his national political career as a candidate of the Fianna Fáil in 1987 with the election of deputies ( Teachta Dala ) of the lower house ( Dáil Éireann ), in which he initially to 1992, the constituency represented Wicklow. During this time, he was from 1989 to 1992 Chairman of the Joint Committee of Parliament ( Oireachtas ) for state-sponsored bodies.

After retiring from the House, he was nominated by the then Taoiseach (Prime Minister ) Albert Reynolds as a member of the Senate ( Seanad Éireann ) on 2 December 1992 and represented in this until 1997, the group management.

In 1997 he was again elected a member of the Dáil and since then represents the constituency of Wicklow. During this time he was on 19 February 1998 to 2002 Chairman of the All-Party Committee in the initiative committee for strategic management.

On 6 June 2002 he was appointed by Prime Minister Bertie Ahern, Minister of State in the Office of the Prime Minister and the Foreign Ministry and took over so called " junior ministers " his first government post. In a cabinet reshuffle, he was then appointed as Minister for the Environment, heritage and Local Government to the Cabinet on 29 September 2004.

Since 14 June 2007, he was again Minister of State at the Irish Department of State and, as such, responsible for European affairs.