Willie O'Dea ( ; born 1 November 1952) is an Irish Fianna Fáil politician who has been a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Limerick City constituency since 2011, and previously from 1982 to 2011 for the Limerick East constituency. He has served as Minister for Defence from 2004 to 2010, and was a Minister of State in different departments from 1992 to 1994, and again from 1997 to 2004.
He resigned as Minister for Defence due to a controversy over a defamation case.
Early and private life
O'Dea was born in Limerick in 1952, but he was raised in Kilteely, County Limerick. He was educated at the Patrician Brothers College in Ballyfin, County Laois, and University College Dublin where he studied law. He qualified as a barrister at King's Inns, Dublin and as an accountant from the Institute of Certified Accountants. He worked as both a barrister and as an accountant before embarking on a career in politics. He also lectured in the law faculties of both University College Dublin and the National Institute of Higher Education, Limerick (now the University of Limerick). As a lecturer, he taught future cabinet colleague and Taoiseach Brian Cowen.
O'Dea is married to Geraldine Kennedy. He writes regularly for the Sunday Independent and occasionally for other national newspapers.
Early political career
O'Dea first held political office as a Fianna Fáil member of Limerick County Council. He served on that authority until 1992. He first stood for election to Dáil Éireann in Limerick East at the 1981 general election, but was unsuccessful. He was elected to the Dáil on his second attempt at the February 1982 general election, capturing Fianna Fáil's second seat.
Like his former constituency colleague Desmond O'Malley, O'Dea was opposed to Charles Haughey's leadership throughout the 1980s, becoming a member of the so-called Gang of 22. When O'Malley founded Progressive Democrats in 1985 and left Fianna Fáil, O'Dea became the only Fianna Fáil TD in the five-seat Limerick East constituency.
Ministerial career
In January 1992, after Albert Reynolds succeeded Charles Haughey as leader of Fianna Fáil and Taoiseach in coalition with the Progressive Democrats. O'Dea was appointed as a Minister of State at the Department of Justice. In January 1993, in the Fianna Fáil–Labour Party coalition government, O'Dea was reappointed at Justice with the additional appointment as Minister of State at the Department of Health. He held these positions until December 1994, when the government collapsed.
After the 1997 general election, Fianna Fáil were back in government in coalition with the Progressive Democrats and O'Dea was appointed a Minister of State at the Department of Education and Science. Here he had responsibility for Adult Education and the School Transport Scheme. He oversaw reform and increased investment in adult education and back to school initiatives, starting with the launch of Green Paper in November 1998.
Following the 2002 general election, O'Dea was appointed Minister of State at the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform with special responsibility for Equality and Disability Issues. His main responsibility during this period was the passage of the Disabilities Bill, which the government had been forced to withdraw in early 2002 in the teeth of opposition from the disability sector. After a number of changes, including a form of the independent assessment of needs demanded by the disability organisations, O'Dea introduced a new bill in September 2004 along with an implementation package.
In September 2004, O'Dea was appointed Minister for Defence in a cabinet reshuffle. His tenure commenced as the army deafness compensation issue was starting to come to an end.
In November 2005, O'Dea was photographed during a media event at the Curragh Camp pointing an automatic pistol at a photographer. The photo appeared on the front page of The Irish Times the following day. O'Dea apologised saying that it was not his intention to glamorise gun crime.
As Minister for Defence, O'Dea prioritised two particular issues: the recruitment of more women to the Defence Forces and the promotion of more serving non-commissioned members to the commissioned ranks, often called "promotion from the ranks".
He also presided over Ireland's second tour in Lebanon in late 2006, as part of UNIFIL 2 and participation in the EUFOR mission to Chad.
O'Dea and Limerick
O'Dea is highly identified with his native Limerick. Three main issues have dominated his recent pronouncements on Limerick: Shannon Airport, Dell and gangland crime.