Raphael Patrick "Ray" Burke (Irish: Rae de Búrca[1]; born 30 September 1943) in Dublin, Ireland. Irish (ga ''Gaeilge'' is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish. Events 1399 - Henry IV is proclaimed King of England. 1744 - France and Spain defeat the Year 1943 ( MCMXLIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1943 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Dublin (ˈdʌblɨn/ /ˈdʊblɨn or /ˈdʊbəlɪn/, bˠalʲə aːha klʲiəh or cliə(ɸ is both the largest city and capital of Ireland. Ireland (pronounced /ˈaɾlənd/ Éire) is the third largest island in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world A now retired politician with Fianna Fáil party in Dublin. Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party (Fianna Fáil – An Páirtí Poblachtánach shortened to Fianna Fáil ( is currently the largest Political party in the He is a former government minister who was convicted and jailed on charges arising from corruption in office. Burke was also highly influential in decisions made by Dublin Corporation, at local government level in Dublin City.
Burke was born in Dublin, Ireland, educated at O'Connell Schools and became an auctioneer. Dublin (ˈdʌblɨn/ /ˈdʊblɨn or /ˈdʊbəlɪn/, bˠalʲə aːha klʲiəh or cliə(ɸ is both the largest city and capital of Ireland. Burke's political career commenced when he was elected to Dublin County Council in 1967. Dublin County Council ( DCC) was a Local authority for the Administrative county of County Dublin in the Republic of Ireland. He was Chairman of the Council between 1985 and 1987.
He was elected to Dáil Éireann in the 1973 general election for the Dublin County North constituency, following in the footsteps of his father Patrick J. ga '''Dáil Éireann''' ( English House of Representatives of Ireland) is the principal chamber of the Oireachtas (Irish parliament The Irish general election of 1973 was held on 28 February 1973 North County Dublin is a former parliamentary constituency in the Republic of Ireland which from 1969&ndash1981 returned deputies to Dáil Éireann, the Burke, a former hospital official, who was affectionately known as Bishop Burke. The Bishop was first elected Teachta Dála in May 1944 and served until 1973 when he retired and his son succeeded him. A Teachta Dála (ˈtʲaxtə ˈdɑːlə is a member of Dáil Éireann, the lower chamber of the Oireachtas (Parliament of the Republic of Ireland. He held his seat in the same constituency and in its successor Dublin North until his resignation almost twenty-five years later. Dublin North is a Constituency represented in Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament or Oireachtas, located in the northern area of
After Fianna Fáil's landslide victory at the 1977 general election, Burke was appointed Minister of State at the Department of Industry and Commerce. The Irish general election of 1977 was held on 16 June 1977 and is regarded as a pivotal point in 20th century Irish politics A Minister of State (Aire Stáit in Ireland, is a ' junior minister', and is of non- Cabinet rank attached to one or more Departments of State He supported George Colley in the Fianna Fáil leadership contest of 1979 but was still retained in his government position by the new Taoiseach, Charles Haughey. For the British soldier see George Pomeroy Colley George Colley (Seoirse Ó Colla 18 October 1925 &ndash 17 September 1983 was an Irish Year 1979 ( MCMLXXIX) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1979 Gregorian calendar) The Taoiseach (ˈtiːʃəx in English t̪ˠiːʃʲəx (plural Taoisigh ( or) in Irish) also referred to as An Taoiseach ( t̪ˠiːʃʲəx is the the In October 1980 he was appointed Minister for the Environment, a position he held until June 1981, and again in the short-lived Fianna Fáil government of 1982. Year 1980 ( MCMLXXX) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar) The Minister for the Environment Heritage and Local Government (Aire Comhshaoil Oidhreacht agus Rialtais Áitiúil is the senior minister at the Department of the Environment Year 1981 ( MCMLXXXI) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link displays the 1981 Year 1982 ( MCMLXXXII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link displays the 1982 Gregorian calendar) When Fianna Fáil returned to power at the 1987 general election, he served as Minister for Energy until 1988, when he was appointed Minister for Industry and Commerce and Communications. The Irish general election of 1987 was held on 17 February 1987 four weeks after the dissolution of the Dáil on 20 January Year 1988 ( MCMLXXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar)
Following the formation of the Progressive Democrats-Fianna Fáil Coalition in 1989 he became Minister for Justice and Minister for Communications, a rather unusual combination of portfolios which would later pose questions of improper payments from the now defunct Century Radio. The Progressive Democrats (An Páirtí Daonlathach lit The Democratic Party) commonly called The PDs, are a Free market liberal party in Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party (Fianna Fáil – An Páirtí Poblachtánach shortened to Fianna Fáil ( is currently the largest Political party in the Year 1989 ( MCMLXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link displays 1989 Gregorian calendar) The Minister for Justice Equality and Law Reform (Aire Dlí agus Cirt Comhionannais agus Athchóirithe Dlí is the senior minister at the Department of Justice Equality The Minister for Communications was the minister in the Government of Ireland created by the Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment Act 1983 to replace the Minister for Century Radio, also marketed as Century 100 and later Century FM, was an early shortlived national commercial radio station in Ireland (the first was When Albert Reynolds came to power in 1992, he did not re-appoint Burke to the Cabinet. Albert Reynolds (Ailbhe Mac Raghnaill born 4 November 1932 served as the eighth Taoiseach of Ireland, serving one term in office from 1992 until 1994 Year 1992 ( MCMXCII) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar) Fianna Fáil was back in power at the 1997 general election and Burke was appointed Minister for Foreign Affairs by new Taoiseach Bertie Ahern. The Irish general election of 1997 was held on Friday 6 June 1997 The Minister for Foreign Affairs (Aire Gnóthaí Eachtracha is the senior minister at the Department of Foreign Affairs in the Government of Ireland. Patrick Bartholomew "Bertie" Ahern ( Irish: Pádraig Parthalán Ó hEachthairn, born 12 September 1951 is an Irish politician who served
Contents |
Allegations, Tribunal, Corruption, Tax Avoidance and Jail
Within months, allegations resurfaced that he had received £80,000 from a property developer regarding the former Dublin County Council. Dublin County Council ( DCC) was a Local authority for the Administrative county of County Dublin in the Republic of Ireland. Burke denied the allegations but resigned from the Cabinet and from the Dáil after just four months in office. This allegation lead to the setting up of the Planning Tribunal chaired by Mr Justice Feargus Flood. In an interim report of the subsequent Flood Tribunal[1] he was unambiguously judged by Flood to be "corrupt".
When Burke was re-elected in 1989, he made it clear in interviews that he believed that the Irish national broadcaster RTÉ was biased against him and Fianna Fáil in its election coverage, and several RTÉ employees reported that while off-air at RTÉ’s election coverage, he remarked "I'm going to fucking screw RTÉ". After the election, he was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs, but retained the Communications brief, two portfolios which had never before (or since) been combined in the same ministry.
Burke was responsible for controversial legislation, severely limiting RTÉ’s ability to collect advertising revenue, and establishing a series of local radio stations, and one independent national radio station, Century Radio. Century Radio, also marketed as Century 100 and later Century FM, was an early shortlived national commercial radio station in Ireland (the first was RTÉ were ordered to provide a national transmission service for Century Radio at a price that RTÉ complained was far below the economic cost of providing such a service. For example, they were required by the service level agreement to have engineers on standby covering the entire country 24 hours a day, however the final payment for the entire transmission service was roughly equal to the salary for just one engineer.
Nevertheless, Century Radio failed to gain significant audience share and closed in 1991. An interim report of the Flood Tribunal found as fact that the backers of Century Radio had paid large bribes to Burke to secure favourable ministerial decisions. One of the local stations established was 98FM and in 2006 its owner, Irish businessman Denis O'Brien won a record €750,000 damages from the Irish Daily Mirror which had claimed that O'Brien had paid a bribe of IR£30,000 to Burke to secure a licence for the station. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Denis O'Brien, (born April 19 1958 in County Cork) is an Irish Entrepreneur. The Daily Mirror, often referred to simply as The Mirror, is a British Tabloid daily Newspaper founded in 1903 [2]
Protesters against the controversial Corrib Gas Field terminal, in particular Shell to Sea have commented that the deal made by Burke which exempted the oil company Royal Dutch Shell from paying any royalties for the gas extracted had the hallmarks of a corrupt decision. The Corrib gas project entails exploiting a Natural gas deposit off the northwest coast of Ireland. Shell to Sea (in Irish, Shell chun Sáile) is a campaign based in County Mayo, Ireland which opposed the proposed construction of a high-pressure Royal Dutch Shell plc, commonly known simply as Shell, is a multinational oil company of Dutch and British origins Royalties (sometimes running royalties) are usage-based payments made by one party (the "licensee" to another (the "licensor" for ongoing use of an [3]
During Burke's relatively brief tenure of the Foreign Affairs ministry, Diana, Princess of Wales died, and the Republic of Ireland flew its flag at half-mast on all official buildings. Foreign Affairs is an influential American Journal on International relations published by the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR Ireland ( Irish: Éire, ˈeːrʲə is a country in north-western Europe. It was deemed to fall to Burke, inwardly distracted by being increasingly in the throes of corruption allegations, to go on television to praise the memory of Diana's qualities. This was despite the fact that Diana had never in her lifetime visited the Republic of Ireland.
There were also allegations that Ray Burke received payments from a company called "Rennicks Ltd", the details of which were published in the Irish Times in June 1997 immediately after the General Election. The Irish Times is an Irish daily broadsheet news paper launched in the late 1850s. If the article written by Geraldine Kennedy was published before the election, it is doubtful if the Fianna Fáil–Progressive Democrats coalition would have gained power. Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party (Fianna Fáil – An Páirtí Poblachtánach shortened to Fianna Fáil ( is currently the largest Political party in the The Progressive Democrats (An Páirtí Daonlathach lit The Democratic Party) commonly called The PDs, are a Free market liberal party in Rennicks is a company associated with Tony O'Reilly. The day prior to the General Election O'Reilly's Irish Independent newspaper ran a front page editorial against the Fine Gael–Labour Coalition Government entitled "Pay Back Time", with a view towards influencing the electorate to vote in favour of Fianna Fáil. The Irish Independent is Ireland's largest selling daily newspaper Fine Gael – The United Ireland Party, shortened to Fine Gael (ˌfina gail meaning Family of the Irish or Tribe of the Irish, is the second largest The Labour Party (Páirtí an Lucht Oibre is a Democratic socialist and Social democratic Political party in the Republic of Ireland. The publishing of the editorial broke a long standing moratorium that all coverage of the election ceases a day ahead of the poll. The Flood Tribunal, and subsequent Mahon Tribunal, have yet to deal with "Rennicks Payment" issue. The question of whether the Mahon Tribunal can now investigate the "Rennicks Payment" has now come before the Irish Courts (Sept 2005) by way of an application for a full hearing into whether the Mahon Tribunal can investigate the alleged Fitzwilton-Rennicks payment to Ray Burke, the High Court decided that a full hearing will take place, the High Court is expected to deliver a reserved judgement in early 2007.
In July 2004, he pleaded guilty to making false tax returns. "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " The charge arose from his failure to declare for tax purposes the bribes that he had received from the backers of Century Radio, so the conviction meant that the jury accepted that, beyond all reasonable doubt, he had received the bribes, although he has never been charged with corruption over the affair.
After a period on bail, on January 24, 2005 he was sentenced to 6 months in jail for these offences, making him one of the most senior politicians in the history of Ireland to serve time in jail. Events 41 - Gaius Caesar (Caligula, known for his eccentricity and cruel Despotism, is Assassinated by his disgruntled Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. He was released in June 2005 after four and a half months, earning a 25% remission of sentence because of good behaviour. He served his time in Arbour Hill Prison in Dublin.
Burke has maintained a relatively low profile since completing his prison sentence but attended the June 2006 state funeral of Charles Haughey, his political patron and former Fianna Fáil party leader. State funerals in the Republic of Ireland have taken place on the following occasions since 1921 (This list is incomplete Protocol Lying Several former associates of Ray Burke, from his days as a member of Dublin Corporation (the 'Corpo'), continue to be the subjects of tribunals of inquiry set up to investigate irregularities in the planning process in Dublin.
See also
Footnotes
- ^ Dáil Éireann - Volume 480 – 26 June 1997. Events 363 - Roman Emperor Julian is killed during the retreat from the Sassanid Empire. Year 1997 ( MCMXCVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1997 Gregorian calendar
- ^ Finfacts 23 November 2006
- ^ Shell to Sea website
External links
| Oireachtas | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Patrick J. The Oireachtas (ɛrʲaxt̪ˠasˠ is the "national parliament" or Legislature of Ireland, sometimes referred to as Oireachtas Éireann. Burke |
Fianna Fáil Teachta Dála for Dublin County North 1973–1977 |
Succeeded by Constituency abolished |
| Preceded by Newly created constituency |
Fianna Fáil Teachta Dála for Dublin North 1977–1998 |
Succeeded by Seán Ryan |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by Newly created office |
Minister of State at the Department of Industry & Commerce 1978–1980 |
Succeeded by Denis Gallagher |
| Preceded by Sylvester Barrett |
Minister for the Environment 1980–1981 |
Succeeded by Peter Barry |
| Preceded by Peter Barry |
Minister for the Environment Mar. Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party (Fianna Fáil – An Páirtí Poblachtánach shortened to Fianna Fáil ( is currently the largest Political party in the A Teachta Dála (ˈtʲaxtə ˈdɑːlə is a member of Dáil Éireann, the lower chamber of the Oireachtas (Parliament of the Republic of Ireland. North County Dublin is a former parliamentary constituency in the Republic of Ireland which from 1969&ndash1981 returned deputies to Dáil Éireann, the Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party (Fianna Fáil – An Páirtí Poblachtánach shortened to Fianna Fáil ( is currently the largest Political party in the A Teachta Dála (ˈtʲaxtə ˈdɑːlə is a member of Dáil Éireann, the lower chamber of the Oireachtas (Parliament of the Republic of Ireland. Dublin North is a Constituency represented in Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament or Oireachtas, located in the northern area of Seán Ryan (born 27 January 1943 is a former Irish Labour Party politician A Minister of State (Aire Stáit in Ireland, is a ' junior minister', and is of non- Cabinet rank attached to one or more Departments of State The Department of Enterprise Trade and Employment (An Roinn Fiontar Trádála agus Fostaíochta is a department of the Government of Ireland. Denis Gallagher (23 November 1922 – 4 November 2001 was a senior Irish Fianna Fáil politician Sylvester A Barrett (Salbhastar Bairéad 18 May 1926 &ndash 8 May 2002 was a senior Irish Fianna Fáil politician The Minister for the Environment Heritage and Local Government (Aire Comhshaoil Oidhreacht agus Rialtais Áitiúil is the senior minister at the Department of the Environment Peter Barry (Peadar de Barra born 10 August 1928 is a retired Irish Fine Gael politician and businessman from Cork City. Peter Barry (Peadar de Barra born 10 August 1928 is a retired Irish Fine Gael politician and businessman from Cork City. The Minister for the Environment Heritage and Local Government (Aire Comhshaoil Oidhreacht agus Rialtais Áitiúil is the senior minister at the Department of the Environment 1982–Dec. 1982 |
Succeeded by Dick Spring |
| Preceded by John Wilson |
Minister for Communications 1987–1991 |
Succeeded by Séamus Brennan |
| Preceded by Michael Noonan |
Minister for Energy 1987–1988 |
Succeeded by Michael Smith |
| Preceded by Albert Reynolds |
Minister for Industry & Commerce 1988–1989 |
Succeeded by Desmond O'Malley |
| Preceded by Gerard Collins |
Minister for Justice 1989–1992 |
Succeeded by Pádraig Flynn |
| Preceded by Nora Owen |
Opposition Spokesperson on Foreign Affairs 1995–1997 |
Succeeded by Gay Mitchell |
| Preceded by Dick Spring |
Minister for Foreign Affairs Jun. Richard "Dick" Spring (born 29 August 1950 in Tralee, County Kerry) is a businessman and former senior Irish politician John Patrick Wilson (Seán Mac Uilliam 8 July 1923 &ndash 9 July 2007 was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician The Minister for Communications was the minister in the Government of Ireland created by the Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment Act 1983 to replace the Minister for Séamus Brennan (Séamus Ó Braonáin 16 February 1948 – 9 July 2008 was a senior Irish Fianna Fáil politician and a Teachta Dála (TD for Dublin Michael Noonan (Micheál Ó Nuanáin born 21 May 1943 is an Irish politician and was Leader of the Opposition and Leader of Fine Gael from February 2001 The Minister for Arts Sport and Tourism (Aire Ealaíon Spóirt agus Turasóireachta is the senior minister at the Department of Arts Sport and Tourism in the Michael Smith (Micheál Mac Gabhann born 11 November 1940 is an Irish Fianna Fáil politician Albert Reynolds (Ailbhe Mac Raghnaill born 4 November 1932 served as the eighth Taoiseach of Ireland, serving one term in office from 1992 until 1994 The Minister for Enterprise Trade and Employment (Aire Fiontar Trádála agus Fostaíochta is the senior minister at the Department of Enterprise Trade and Employment Desmond Joseph (Des O'Malley (Deasún Ó Máille born 2 February 1939 is a former Irish Politician. James Gerard "Gerry" Collins (Gearóid Ó Coileáin born 16 October 1938 is a former senior Irish politician The Minister for Justice Equality and Law Reform (Aire Dlí agus Cirt Comhionannais agus Athchóirithe Dlí is the senior minister at the Department of Justice Equality Pádraig "Pee" Flynn (born 9 May 1939 is a former Irish politician Nora Owen (Nora Bean Mhic Eoghain born June 1945 is a former a senior Irish politician The Opposition Spokesperson on Foreign Affairs in the Republic of Ireland 's parliamentary system is the member of the 'official' Opposition Front Bench who is Gabriel "Gay" Mitchell ( Irish: Gabriel Ó Maoilmhíchil) (born 30 December 1951 in Dublin) is an Irish politician and Member of Richard "Dick" Spring (born 29 August 1950 in Tralee, County Kerry) is a businessman and former senior Irish politician The Minister for Foreign Affairs (Aire Gnóthaí Eachtracha is the senior minister at the Department of Foreign Affairs in the Government of Ireland. 1997–Oct. 1997 |
Succeeded by David Andrews |
Dapyx Software network: MP3 Explorer | Ebook Manager | Zenithic