About Liam Aylward

Born September 27th, 1952 in Kilkenny.

Liam is married to Kathleen, with two sons and two daughters. As a Fianna Fáil MEP, Liam is a member of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE).

An Introduction

Liam Aylward was Minister of State at the Department of Education from February 1992-94 with special responsibility for Youth and Sport. He was Minister of State at the Department of Forestry from November 1988 - July 1989. He was first elected to the Dáil for Carlow-Kilkenny in 1977 and elected every election since. Click to read more...

European Parliament

Liam Aylward is currently a Member of the European Parliament for Ireland East.

In the Parliament Liam Aylward sits with the ALDE (Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe) political group and is a Member of the European Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development.

He has earned France's highest honour for non-citizens, for his work on Ireland and Europe's agricultural interests.

He is also a substitute Member on the European Parliamentary Committee on Education and Culture.

As well as his Committee responsibilities he is a Member of the European Parliamentary Delegation for relations with MERCOSUR (alliance of South American countries who have formed a common market).

He is also a Member of the Delegation to the Euro-Latin American Parliamentary Assembly and a substitute Member of the Delegation to the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly (African, Caribbean and Pacific nations).

Background

He began his political career on Kilkenny County Council on which he served between 1974 and 1992 and again between 1999 and 2002. While on the County Council he worked on the Health Committee and Education Committee. He has been elected in every election that he has contested since 1974.

He was also a member of various Sub-Committees including the South-Eastern Health Board (HSE - chairman 1986-1987), the General Council of County Councils, and as Chairman of the Kilkenny V.E.C (1999-2002).

He was first elected to Dáil Éireann for Carlow-Kilkenny in 1977. Between November 1988 and July 1989, he worked as Minister of State at the Department of Forestry.

Following this, he was appointed Minister of State at the Department of Education with special responsibility for Youth and Sport from February 1992 until 1994. Between 2002 and 2004 Liam served as Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture and Food with special responsibility for Animal Health and Welfare and Customer Service.

He was a Member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe 1987-88, 1989-92 and 1997-2002.

See Liam's MEP profile.