Joe Higgins (politician): Difference between revisions

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Joe Higgins (born 1949) is the Socialist Party's sole TD (member of the Irish Dáil Éireann). As a socialist, Higgins promised to accept only a worker's wage and thus only accept half his salary donating the rest to the party and to socialist causes.

Higgins was politicised while studying for the priesthood in America in the 1960s against the backdrop of anti-Vietnam War protests and the civil rights movement. He returned to Ireland and attended University College Dublin where he joined the Irish Labour Party and became active in the Militant Tendency. In 1989 the tendency was expelled from the Labour Party and Higgins left with them eventually forming the Socialist party in 1997.

Higgins was elected to Dublin County Council in 1991 and was until 2004 a member of Fingal County Council, at which point his seat was taken by fellow Socialist Party member Ruth Coppinger. He has campaigned against the council's rubbish charges spending one month in Mountjoy Prison in 2003 as a result of his protests. In 1996, he campaigned against water charges and came within 270 votes of preventing Brian Lenihan, Jr from taking his late father's Dáil seat in Dublin West. He was first elected to the Dáil the next year (1997) and re-elected in 2002.

Preceded by:
Newly Created Party

Leader of the Socialist Party
1997-

Followed by:
(Current Incumbant)

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 '''Joe Higgins''' (born [[1949]]) is the [[Socialist Party of Ireland|Socialist Party]]'s sole TD (member of the Irish [[Dáil Éireann]]). As a [[socialist]], Higgins promised to accept only a worker's wage and thus only accept half his salary donating the rest to the party and to socialist causes.
-Higgins was politicised while studying for the [[priest]]hood in [[America]] in the [[1960s]] against the backdrop of anti-[[Vietnam War]] protests and the [[civil rights movement]]. He returned to [[Ireland]] and attended [[University College Dublin]] where he joined the [[Irish Labour Party]] and became active in the [[Militant Tendency]]. In [[1989]] the tendency was expelled from the Labour Party and Higgins left with them eventually forming the Socialist party in [[1997]].
+Higgins was politicised while studying for the [[priest]]hood in [[United States|America]] in the [[1960s]] against the backdrop of anti-[[Vietnam War]] protests and the [[civil rights movement]]. He returned to [[Ireland]] and attended [[University College Dublin]] where he joined the [[Irish Labour Party]] and became active in the [[Militant Tendency]]. In [[1989]] the tendency was expelled from the Labour Party and Higgins left with them eventually forming the Socialist party in [[1997]].
 Higgins was elected to [[Dublin]] County Council in [[1991]] and was until [[2004]] a member of [[Fingal]] County Council, at which point his seat was taken by fellow Socialist Party member [[Ruth Coppinger]]. He has campaigned against the council's rubbish charges spending one month in Mountjoy Prison in [[2003]] as a result of his protests. In [[1996]], he campaigned against water charges and came within 270 votes of preventing [[Brian Lenihan, Jr]] from taking his late father's Dáil seat in Dublin West. He was first elected to the Dáil the next year ([[1997]]) and re-elected in [[2002]].