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Gníomh na Polaitíochta

Des Geraghty Image Name: Des Geraghty Description: Irish trade unionist Des Geraghty (1981) Copyright: RTÉ Archives
Des Geraghty Image Name: Des Geraghty Description: Des Geraghty of SIPTU (1999) Copyright: RTÉ Archives

Seo sraith cláracha faisnéise le polaiteoirí aitheanta nach bhfuil gníomhach sa pholaitíocht níos mó.  Inniu, beidh agallamh le cloisteáil againn le Des Geraghty, ceardchumannaí agus iar-pholaiteoir.  Bhí sé ina uachtarán ar SIPTU idir 1999 agus 2004.  Go polaitiúil, thosaigh sé amach le Pairtí na nOibrithe: Sinn Féin Oifigiúil.  Bhí sé ina ardrúnaí ar an bpáirtí sin i 1992 nuair a scoilt siad, agus bhí baint mhór aige le bunú Daonlathas Clé.  An bhliain chéanna sin, thóg sé suíochán Phrionsiais de Rossa, a bhí ina Fheisire i bParlaimint na hEorpa agus bhí an cúram sin air ar feadh dhá bhliain.  I 2007, d’ainmnigh an rialtas é ar an bPáirtnéireacht le Tithe a chur ar fáil ar Airgead Réasúnach.  Is é Séamus Mac Donnchadha a chuirfidh an clár i láthair.

This is a new summer series, featuring interviews with well-known politicians who are no longer active in public life.  Today, we’ll hear an interview with Des Geraghty, trade unionist and former politician.  Des was President of SIPTU from 1999 to 2004.  Politically, he started out with the Workers’ Party.  He was General Secretary of that party in 1992 when they split, and was involved in the establishment of the Democratic Left.  The same year, he was appointed to the European Parliament when Proinsias de Rossa resigned his seat, and remained there for two years.  In 2007, the government appointed him to chair the Affordable Homes Partnership.  He speaks to Séamus Mac Donnchadha about his political life.