Derek Keating

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Derek Keating
Keating in 2014
Teachta Dála
In office
February 2011 – February 2016
ConstituencyDublin Mid-West
Personal details
Born(1955-05-16)16 May 1955
Ballyfermot, Dublin, Ireland
Died6 May 2023(2023-05-06) (aged 67)
Dublin, Ireland
Political partyFine Gael
SpouseAnne Keating
Children4

Derek Keating (16 May 1955 – 6 May 2023) was an Irish Fine Gael politician who served as a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Dublin Mid-West constituency from 2011 to 2016.[1][2] He had also served as a local councillor for Lucan in the South Dublin County Council.

Background and early career

Born on 16 May 1955

FÁS Community Employment Scheme supervisor at St Mary's Parish Centre, Lucan, Keating was a member of Fianna Fáil during the 1980s, but later joined the Progressive Democrats (PDs). He was a director of elections for Progressive Democrats candidate Tom Morrissey in the Castleknock local electoral area at the 1991 local elections. In 1998, following the constituency boundary revision which created the new constituency of Dublin Mid-West, he left the PDs, and in 1999 stood as an Independent candidate to South Dublin County Council for the Lucan electoral area. He was elected by just four votes over Fine Gael incumbent Peter Brady. Keating was re-elected in 2004, receiving 3,680 votes.[4]

After failing as an Independent candidate for Dublin Mid-West at the 2007 general election, he joined Fine Gael in 2008, and was re-elected as a Fine Gael candidate at the 2009 local elections.[2] He was involved in controversy after taunting the Garda Representative Association's general secretary by issuing the statement: "Mr PJ Stone should put on a uniform and go and do real work and stop rabble-rousing."[5]

TD (2011-2016)

Keating became a TD for Dublin Mid-West in February 2011,[6][7] serving until 2016 alongside Leo Varadkar, in which Varadkar described Keating as a "hard-working public representative".[8][9] Keating was re-elected for Fine Gael in 2011 following vote shares in his favor at 26.88 percent in the 2009 elections, which was the strongest votes in the country.[3]

During Budget debates in December 2012, Keating hit out at what he saw as a "Culture of Dependence" in Ireland, saying: "increased dependency on the State encourages a new lifestyle of welfare economy ... a woman will have a lone parent allowance, children’s allowance, rent subsidy, school grants, a medical card, fuel allowance and special payments from the community welfare officer which come under section 13 of the Social Welfare Act for exceptional payments".[10]

Later in December 2012, Keating returned €7,571 of expenses to the Government, following a sample audit of expenses.[11]

Keating was accused in May 2013, in a newspaper article by a school principal in Lucan, of falsely claiming credit for getting an extension to the school. His parliamentary aide, Tommy Morris, was then investigated by the Garda Síochána for taking about 3,000 copies of the Lucan Gazette (which carried the article) from local shops and dumping them. Keating said Morris acted without his knowledge or consent. Fine Gael also condemned the action.[12]

In July 2013, a protest held outside his home by a anti-abortion group led to him leaving as he felt threatened by their behaviour.[13] The protestors had shouted at him to open the door and banged on his front door and windows.[13] He called Gardaí and provided names of people he had recognised. Gardaí said that they had been called but that no arrests were made.[13]

After losing his seat at the 2016 general election,[2] Keating attempted to get re-elected to South Dublin County Council in the 2019 local elections, but did not succeed.[3][9]

Personal life

Keating was married to Anne, a former deputy school principal, for more than four decades till his death; they had two daughters.[3]

Keating was diagnosed with dementia late in his life; he was reported to be "still doing 5K runs" in late 2022, but his health deteriorated quickly in the following months.[3] He died on 6 May 2023, at the age of 67.[14]

References

  1. ^ "Derek Keating". Oireachtas Members Database. Archived from the original on 8 July 2018. Retrieved 21 March 2011.
  2. ^ a b c "Derek Keating". ElectionsIreland.org. Archived from the original on 12 March 2011. Retrieved 21 March 2011.
  3. ^ a b c d e "Derek Keating obituary: A phenomenal local vote getter who could be everywhere at once". The Irish Times. 13 May 2023. Retrieved 13 May 2023.
  4. ^ "Flyer for Derek Keating -Independent (Now Fine Gael) -2004 Local Elections Lucan". Irish Election Literature. 9 January 2011. Retrieved 12 May 2023.
  5. ^ O'Keeffe, Alan (30 April 2012). "Garda fury after TD's 'get a real job' taunt to their leader". Evening Herald. Retrieved 30 April 2012.
  6. ^ Hosford, Paul (7 May 2023). "Former Fine Gael TD Derek Keating dies aged 67". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 13 May 2023.
  7. ^ FUSIO; Office, Fine Gael Press (31 December 1969). "Derek Keating TD". Fine Gael. Retrieved 13 May 2023.
  8. ^ "Former Dublin Fine Gael TD Derek Keating dies aged 67". BreakingNews.ie. Retrieved 13 May 2023.
  9. ^ a b "Taoiseach Leads Tributes To Former Fine Gael TD Derek Keating". Extra.ie. 8 May 2023. Retrieved 13 May 2023.
  10. ^ "TD warns of 'welfare economy lifestyle'". The Irish Times. 13 December 2012. Archived from the original on 21 December 2012. Retrieved 22 December 2012.
  11. ^ "Random audit results in return of €16,000 in political expenses". Irish Examiner. 22 December 2012. Archived from the original on 26 April 2014. Retrieved 22 December 2012.
  12. ^ "Garda inquiry launched after removal of newspapers". Lucan News. 8 May 2013. Archived from the original on 16 June 2013. Retrieved 12 May 2013.
  13. ^ a b c O'Regan, Mark (9 July 2013). "Pro-life protest forces FG TD to flee his home". Irish Independent. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 25 September 2021.
  14. ^ "Former Dublin Mid-West TD Derek Keating dies aged 67". The Irish Times. 7 May 2023. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
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