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Lucinda Creighton

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Lucinda Creighton
Creighton in 2012
Leader of Renua
In office
13 March 2015 – 14 May 2016
DeputyBilly Timmins
Preceded byNew office
Succeeded byJohn Leahy
Minister of State
2011–2013Taoiseach
2011–2013Foreign Affairs
Teachta Dála
In office
May 2007 – February 2016
ConstituencyDublin South-East
Personal details
Born (1980-01-20) 20 January 1980 (age 44)
Claremorris, County Mayo, Ireland
Political partyRenua (2015–2016)
Other political
affiliations
Spouse
​
(m. 2011)​
Children3
Alma materTrinity College Dublin
ProfessionBusiness consultancy
Websitelucindacreighton.ie

Lucinda Creighton (born 20 January 1980) is an Irish businesswoman and former politician, who served as Minister of State for European Affairs from 2011 to 2013. She was leader of Renua from its March 2015 foundation until May 2016, and served as a Teachta Dála (TD) representing Dublin South-East from 2007 to 2016.[1]

Elected while a member of Fine Gael, she lost the party whip when she voted against a 2013 bill introduced by the Fine Gael–Labour government to ease restrictions on abortion.[2] Following her resignation from Fine Gael in July 2013, she sat as an Independent until the launch of Renua. She lost her seat at the 2016 general election, and resigned as Renua leader two months later.

Early and personal life

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Creighton grew up in Claremorris, County Mayo, where her father was a bookmaker and her mother a teacher.[3] She is a graduate of Trinity College Dublin, where she gained a Bachelor of Laws in 2002. She was a member of the Trinity College branch of Young Fine Gael. In 2003, she qualified as an attorney-at-law for the state of New York. She was called to the Irish Bar in 2005.

In April 2011 Creighton married Paul Bradford, a fellow legislator in Seanad Éireann, who also switched from Fine Gael to Renua.[4] They have three children; a daughter and two sons.[5]

Political career

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Fine Gael

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While at Trinity College, Creighton was elected Deputy Secretary General of the Youth of the European People's Party.[6] She was elected to Dublin City Council in 2004, at the age of 24, representing the Pembroke local electoral area.[7]

Creighton was elected to Dáil Éireann at her first attempt, at the 2007 general election, as its youngest member,[8] the first TD born in the 1980s. She was appointed Fine Gael Spokesperson on European Affairs in 2007, remaining in post until 2010. During that period she was critical of party leader Enda Kenny. In July 2010, she criticised what she termed the "cute hoor politics" in Fine Gael.[9] That October she was appointed as party deputy Spokesperson on Justice, with special responsibility for Immigration, Integration and Equality.

She played a key role in Fine Gael's campaign for a 'yes' vote in both referendums on the Treaty of Lisbon.[10] Creighton was re-elected in February 2011, topping the poll in Dublin South-East.[11]

On 10 March 2011, she was appointed by the Fine Gael–Labour government as Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach and at the Department of Foreign Affairs with responsibility as Minister of State for European Affairs.[12] Upon taking office she was openly critical of the response by European leaders to the eurozone crisis, telling an audience in London in May 2011:

"European leaders have gone from contributing to the development of the Union to identifying what they can take from it and parade in front of their own electorates. While the European spirit lives on, what is absent is the willingness and courage to argue, communicate and persuade people that it is still a good idea."[13]

During her time as Minister, Creighton visited every EU member, candidate and aspiring country at least once, and represented the government at meetings and conferences such as the Croatia Summit in July 2012,[14] the EU–ASEAN ministerial meeting in Brunei in April 2012 and the EU–ASEM meeting in Budapest in June 2011.[15] She was also the first Irish government Minister to officially meet a Minister from Myanmar, when she met its Minister of Foreign Affairs in April 2012.[16]

Creighton was involved in the co-ordination of the planning and execution of Ireland's 2013 EU Presidency, chairing a government committee responsible for all policy preparations and oversight.[17][18] In January 2013, she hosted a meeting of European Affairs Ministers in Dublin which focused on strengthening the democratic legitimacy of European Union states.[19] Creighton played a central role during the 2012 referendum on the Stability Treaty, speaking at numerous public meetings and events. Along with Simon Coveney, she devised Fine Gael's campaign for a 'yes' vote.

Creighton was expelled from the Fine Gael parliamentary party on 11 July 2013, when she defied the party whip by voting against the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013, which allowed a termination of pregnancy by doctors in the case of a threat to a woman's life, including a risk of suicide.[2] She also resigned as a Minister of State.[20][21]

Renua

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On 13 September 2013, she and six other expellees formed the Reform Alliance, described as a "loose alliance" rather than a political party.[22] The expulsion was criticised as indicative of the suppressing of independent voices by the party whip system and, as such, the need for having an independent Seanad.[23] Creighton joined the Dáil Technical Group in September 2014.[24]

On 2 January 2015, Creighton announced that she would found a new political party that spring.[25] The party was to be founded under four principles, including, she claimed, "building an economy for entrepreneurs" and "giving politics back to the people."[25] Creighton said: "We want to reboot Ireland and we want those who are as passionate about this country as we are to join us on this mission".[25] She hoped her new party would raise €1 million in small donations before the next general election.[26]

Renua was launched on 13 March 2015, with Creighton as its leader.[27][28] The party contested the February 2016 general election,[8] but lost all three of its seats. Creighton resigned as party leader on 14 May 2016.[29]

Political positions

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Foreign policy

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Creighton meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Estonia, Urmas Paet, in October 2012

Creighton is an opponent of Ireland's "triple-lock" system that means the deployment of the Irish Defence Forces outside of the State must first be prompted by a formal Government decision, then approved by the Dáil before being mandated by the United Nations. She favours a system in which only a Government and Dáil vote is necessary for military deployment outside the State, for she believes it is not a "viable position in Irish foreign policy that peacekeeping missions are dependent on a UN mandate when Russia and China get a veto".[30]

Economic policy

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Creighton was an early advocate of eurobonds as a potential solution to the eurozone crisis. Following a meeting with her French counterpart in Paris in December 2012, she publicly called for the European Central Bank to become a lender of last resort.[31]

She has said Sinn Féin's economic policies are "absolutely hare-brained" and "would come close to bankrupting the country".[32]

Social policy

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Creighton stated in February 2011 that while she supported civil partnerships, which were then in the process of coming into effect, she opposed same-sex marriage and believed that "marriage is primarily about children, main purpose being to propagate and create".[33][34] Controversy surrounding the comment, and its resulting backlash made national papers, and led to official statements being issued by Fine Gael distancing the party from her comments.[35] She later changed her view to support same-sex marriage.[26]

Creighton is against abortion, and believes "We celebrate the right of human beings to enjoy life – whether we speak of a criminal on death row, or an innocent baby girl, or a baby with Down syndrome. None of us are perfect, but our life is worthy and we are all worthy of life. Who are any one of us to determine that even one single life is not worth living, not worth protecting?"[36]

After politics

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Creighton and her husband co-founded Vulcan Consulting in 2015, serving respectively as CEO and chairperson.[37] From September 2016 she divided her time between Vulcan and Fipra Consulting in Brussels where she headed its Brexit unit.[38][39]

In September 2018, Creighton was appointed to the board of Horse Sport Ireland.[40] Since 2019, she has a weekly column in the Business Post newspaper.[41]

References

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  1. ^ "Lucinda Creighton". Oireachtas Members Database. Archived from the original on 8 November 2018. Retrieved 17 April 2009.
  2. ^ a b "Creighton votes against Govt in abortion debate". RTÉ News. 11 July 2013. Archived from the original on 9 February 2014. Retrieved 11 July 2013.
  3. ^ "Lunch with... Lucinda Creighton". Irish Independent. Archived from the original on 26 October 2014. Retrieved 26 October 2014.
  4. ^ "Creighton ties the knot in low-key ceremony". Irish Independent. 2 May 2011. Archived from the original on 2 November 2012. Retrieved 2 May 2011.
  5. ^ "'Thrilled and blessed' — Lucinda Creighton welcomes baby Archie". Irish Independent. 28 July 2017. Archived from the original on 8 September 2017. Retrieved 1 March 2021.; Creighton, Lucinda (20 September 2019). "Introducing Felix William Bradford born yesterday 19/9/19 at 10.50am and weighing in at a fairly substantial 9lb7oz. Little brother to Gwendolyn and Archie". Instagram. Archived from the original on 24 December 2021. Retrieved 1 March 2021.
  6. ^ "YEPP candidate Lucinda Creighton elected first in EPP Board". YouthEPP. Archived from the original on 6 December 2012. Retrieved 27 June 2013.
  7. ^ "Profile: Lucinda Creighton". The Sunday Times. 18 November 2012. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 27 June 2013.
  8. ^ a b "Lucinda Creighton". ElectionsIreland.org. Archived from the original on 3 February 2009. Retrieved 17 April 2009.
  9. ^ "Fine Gael tensions resurface". The Irish Times. 20 July 2011. Archived from the original on 25 January 2011. Retrieved 21 February 2011.
  10. ^ "FG calls on public to back Lisbon Treaty". RTÉ News. 23 January 2008. Archived from the original on 15 December 2013. Retrieved 27 June 2013.
  11. ^ "31st Dáil – Dublin South East First Preference Votes". Elections Ireland. 25 February 2011. Archived from the original on 4 October 2013. Retrieved 27 June 2013.
  12. ^ "Appointment of Ministers of State" (PDF). Iris Oifigiúil. 2011 (23): 402–403. 22 March 2011. Archived (PDF) from the original on 1 September 2021. Retrieved 15 September 2021.
  13. ^ "Speech: Restoring Unity, Cooperation and Selflessness to the European Project". Lucinda Creighton. Archived from the original on 3 January 2013. Retrieved 27 June 2013.
  14. ^ "Ireland to help countries of the western Balkans achieve their EU perspective". Department of Foreign Affairs. 7 July 2012. Archived from the original on 10 November 2013. Retrieved 27 June 2013.
  15. ^ "Department of Foreign Affairs – Minister Creighton attends ASEM Conference in Budapest". Department of Foreign Affairs. Archived from the original on 10 November 2013. Retrieved 27 June 2013.
  16. ^ "Minister Creighton meets Foreign Minister of Myanmar (Burma) – first ministerial meeting between the two countries". Department of Foreign Affairs. 26 April 2012. Archived from the original on 10 November 2013. Retrieved 27 June 2013.
  17. ^ Suzanne Lynch (23 April 2013). "Government happy with diplomacy gains at mid-point of Irish presidency". The Irish Times. Archived from the original on 1 May 2013. Retrieved 27 June 2013.
  18. ^ Creighton, Lucinda (26 December 2012). "With Ireland's EU presidency comes a chance for real change". Irish Independent. Archived from the original on 15 December 2013. Retrieved 27 June 2013.
  19. ^ Judith Crosbie (22 January 2013). "Candidate countries must pass muster before joining EU". The Irish Times. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 27 June 2013.
  20. ^ "Resignation of Minister of State" (PDF). Iris Oifigiúil. 2013 (60): 908. 26 July 2013. Archived (PDF) from the original on 16 November 2017. Retrieved 15 September 2021.
  21. ^ "Appointment of Minister of State: Announcement by Taoiseach – Dáil Éireann (31st Dáil)". Houses of the Oireachtas. 16 July 2013. Archived from the original on 28 September 2019. Retrieved 28 September 2019.
  22. ^ "The politicians formerly known as the Fine Gael rebels are now the Reform Alliance". TheJournal.ie. 10 September 2013. Archived from the original on 15 September 2013. Retrieved 15 September 2013.
  23. ^ "Seanad vote: Threat to 'northern input in southern politics'". BBC News. 3 October 2013. Archived from the original on 22 June 2018. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
  24. ^ "Lucinda Creighton says she's joined the Dáil Technical Group – but they don't want her". thejournal.ie. Archived from the original on 19 October 2014. Retrieved 18 October 2014.
  25. ^ a b c "Creighton to launch new party in spring". RTÉ News. 2 January 2015. Archived from the original on 3 January 2015. Retrieved 3 January 2015.
  26. ^ a b "Lucinda Creighton seeking €1m for new party". The Irish Times. 3 January 2015. Archived from the original on 3 January 2015. Retrieved 3 January 2015.
  27. ^ "Revealed: Lucinda's new party is called Renua Ireland". Irish Independent. 13 March 2015. Archived from the original on 6 May 2019. Retrieved 13 March 2015.
  28. ^ "Creighton's new party to be called Renua Ireland". RTÉ News. 13 March 2015. Archived from the original on 14 March 2015. Retrieved 13 March 2015.
  29. ^ Philip Ryan (14 May 2016). "Lucinda Creighton steps down as leader of Renua Ireland". Irish Independent. Archived from the original on 23 September 2021. Retrieved 14 May 2016.
  30. ^ "How should Ireland decide whether to send troops abroad?". thejournal.ie. Archived from the original on 25 November 2014. Retrieved 23 November 2014.
  31. ^ "Ireland says ECB should be lender of last resort". Reuters. 14 December 2011. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 27 June 2013.
  32. ^ "Lucinda Creighton: Fine Gael will suffer major losses in next general election". Irish Independent. Archived from the original on 8 November 2014. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
  33. ^ "LCreighton". Twitter / Lucinda Creighton. 18 February 2011. Archived from the original on 15 April 2016. Retrieved 30 October 2017.
  34. ^ "Poll: Do you agree with Lucinda Creighton's comments on marriage?". The Journal. 21 February 2011. Archived from the original on 24 February 2011. Retrieved 24 February 2011.
  35. ^ Edwards, Elaine (23 February 2011). "FG says Creighton views 'her own'". The Irish Times. Archived from the original on 24 February 2011. Retrieved 28 February 2011.
  36. ^ "Here's what Lucinda Creighton had to say on abortion legislation". thejournal.ie. Archived from the original on 8 November 2014. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
  37. ^ Lucinda Creighton Archived 28 October 2018 at the Wayback Machine Our Team, Vulcan Consulting, www.vulcanconsulting.eu
  38. ^ Hancock, Ciarán (23 September 2016). "What Lucinda did next: Creighton leads Brexit unit for consultants". The Irish Times. Archived from the original on 26 September 2016. Retrieved 1 March 2021.
  39. ^ McCarthy, Mary (12 September 2019). "This working life: 'Family is most important but I thrive on the challenges of work'". Irish Independent. Archived from the original on 14 September 2019. Retrieved 1 March 2021.
  40. ^ "Horse Sport Ireland New Board Members Announced". Horse Sport Ireland. 11 September 2018. Archived from the original on 28 October 2018. Retrieved 28 October 2018.
  41. ^ "Author index: Lucinda Creighton". Sunday Business Post. Archived from the original on 24 February 2021. Retrieved 1 March 2021.; Mooney, Gerry. "Varadkar friend: Time to 'compromise' with Johnson on Brexit backstop". Sunday Independent. Archived from the original on 7 November 2020. Retrieved 1 March 2021. she writes in In her column in the 'Sunday Business Post'.
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Wikiquote has quotations related to Lucinda Creighton.
Political offices
Preceded by Minister of State for European Affairs
2011–2013 		Succeeded by
Honorary titles
Preceded by Baby of the Dáil
2007–2011 		Succeeded by
Party political offices
New title Leader of Renua
2015–2016 		Succeeded by
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