Máire Whelan

Máire R Whelan SC is an Irish barrister and senior counsel who was appointed to the post of Attorney General on 9 March 2011 by President Mary McAleese on the nomination of the Taoiseach.^[1] She is the first woman to hold this position in Ireland.^[2]

Whelan studied politics and sociology at University College Galway, before switching to law,^[2] and gained a Masters Degree from the University of London.^[3] She was called to the bar in 1985, and was appointed as senior counsel in 2005.^[3] She is a co-author of National Asset Management Agency (NAMA) Act 2009: A Reference Guide.^[4] She has served as financial secretary of the Labour Party, which is the junior member of the 2011 coalition government formed with Fine Gael.^[5] Her appointment as Attorney General caused some surprise amongst lawyers because she had a relatively low profile, owing to practising in areas of law where many cases are heard in camera.^[6]

Whelan, aged 49 from Kinvara, County Galway, is married to barrister Bernard McCabe. They have one child and live in Dublin.^[2][4]

References

1. ^ "As It Happened - First day of 31st Dáil". RTÉ News. 9 March 2011. http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0309/dail_tracker.html. Retrieved 10 March 2011. 
2. ^ ^{a b c} Cullen, Paul (10 March 2011). "First female Attorney General a 'smart and able advocate'". Irish Times. http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2011/0310/1224291779292.html. Retrieved 10 March 2011. 
3. ^ ^{a b} "Barrister's database". Bar Council of Ireland. http://www.lawlibrary.ie/members/barrister.asp?barID=399. Retrieved 9 March 2011. 
4. ^ ^{a b} McDonald, Dearbhail (10 March 2011). "Top lawyers welcome appointment of first ever female AG". Irish Independent. http://www.independent.ie/national-news/top-lawyers-welcome-appointment-of-first-ever-female-ag-2573605.html. Retrieved 10 March 2011. 
5. ^ Collins, Stephen; McGee, Harry (8 March 2011). "Labour set for AG role as Fine Gael takes 10 ministries". Irish Times. http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/frontpage/2011/0308/1224291591888.html. Retrieved 10 March 2011. 
6. ^ McDonald, Dearbhail (11 March 2011). "Whelan gets AG job over stellar FG law line-up". The Irish Independent. http://www.independent.ie/national-news/whelan-gets-ag-job-over-stellar-fg-law-lineup-2575554.html. Retrieved 22 March 2011. 

Works

• Whelan, Máire R.; Kennedy, Mark; O Raghallaigh, Feargus (4 March 2011). National Asset Management Agency (NAMA) Act 2009: A Reference Guide. Dublin: Gill & Macmillan. ISBN 978-0717148400. 

Legal offices
Preceded by Paul Gallagher	Attorney General of Ireland 2011–present	Incumbent

Persondata
Name	Whelan, Máire
Alternative names	Maire Whelan
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