Willie O’Dea has topped the poll in many of the recent general elections, meaning his re-election was almost guaranteed.
Dubbed Limerick’s “Stormin’ Norman”, he first entered Dáil Éireann in 1982 and has retained his seat in each subsequent election. Fianna Fáil’s spokesman on social protection, he has been vocal on pension eligibility, with his party pushing plans to outlaw contracts that force workers to leave their jobs at 65.
He was also confrontational with Minister Regina Doherty on a number of occasions over the Government’s continued defence of the public services card, despite the Data Protection Commissioner saying its use was unlawful.
O’Dea (67), a former accountant, was educated at the Patrician Brothers College, Ballyfin, Co Laois before going on to study at UCD, the King’s Inns and the Institute of Certified Accountants
He has served in a number of junior positions in cabinet and previously served as minister for defence but resigned in 2010 after the Green Party tabled a motion of “no confidence”.
