View source for Marian Harkin

{{short description|Irish politician (born 1953)}}
{{Use Hiberno-English|date=September 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2024}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-suffix = [[Teachta Dála|TD]]
| image         = Marian Harkin, Dec 2024 - 54192835647 (cropped).jpg
| caption       = Harkin in 2024
| office        = [[Minister of State (Ireland)|Minister of State]]
| suboffice     = [[Minister of State at the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science|Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science]]
| subterm       = 2025–
| office1       = [[Teachta Dála]]
| term_start1   = [[2020 Irish general election|February 2020]]
| term_end1     = 
| term_start2   = [[2002 Irish general election|May 2002]]
| term_end2     = [[2007 Irish general election|May 2007]]
| constituency2 = [[Sligo–Leitrim (Dáil constituency)|Sligo–Leitrim]]
| office3       = [[Member of the European Parliament]]
| term_start3   = 1 July 2014
| term_end3     = 24 May 2019
| constituency3 = [[Midlands–North-West (European Parliament constituency)|Midlands–North-West]]
| term_start4   = 1 July 2004
| term_end4     = 20 May 2014
| constituency4 = [[North-West (European Parliament constituency)|North-West]]
| birth_date    = {{birth date and age|1953|11|26|df=y}}
| birth_place   = [[Ballintogher]], [[County Sligo]], Ireland
| death_date    = 
| death_place   = 
| party         = [[Independent politician (Ireland)|Independent]]
| otherparty    = [[European Democratic Party]]
| spouse        = {{marriage|Seán Harkin|1985|1996|end=his death}}
| children      = 2
| alma_mater    = [[University College Dublin]]|
|}}
'''Marian Harkin''' (born 26 November 1953) is an Irish [[Independent politician (Ireland)|independent]] politician who has served as [[Minister of State at the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science]] since February 2025. She has been a [[Teachta Dála]] (TD) for the [[Sligo–Leitrim (Dáil constituency)|Sligo–Leitrim]] constituency since the [[2020 Irish general election|2020 general election]], and previously from 2002 to 2007. She previously served as a [[Member of the European Parliament]] (MEP) from 2004 to 2019.<ref name=oireachtas_db>{{cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/members/member/Marian-Harkin.D.2002-06-06/|title=Marian Harkin|work=Oireachtas Members Database|access-date=12 May 2009|archive-date=8 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181108190644/https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/members/member/Marian-Harkin.D.2002-06-06|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rte.ie/news/election-2020/results/#/national/sligo-leitrim|title=General Election 2020 Live Results - RTÉ News|work=[[RTÉ News]]|access-date=10 February 2020|archive-date=13 February 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200213130309/https://www.rte.ie/news/election-2020/results/#/national/sligo-leitrim|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Early and family life==
Harkin was born in [[Ballintogher]], [[County Sligo]], in 1953. She studied at [[University College Dublin]], where she attained a [[Bachelor of Science]] degree in geology. She worked as a maths teacher at Mercy College secondary school in [[Sligo]] for 25 years, before entering into politics.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.ie/regionals/sligo/news/harkin-goes-back-to-school-as-powerful-female-role-model/27544051.html|title=Harkin goes back to school as 'powerful, female role model'|work=Irish Independent|date=23 May 2002|access-date=27 April 2023}}</ref>

==Community activism==
While living in [[Manorhamilton]], Harkin became active in the voluntary and community sector and developed the view that people living in disadvantaged areas such as [[Connacht]] had to rely on their own initiative and energy to progress development of their region. Her work at local level led to her appointment to ''Developing the West Together'', which evolved into the ''Council for the West'', of which Harkin became chairperson.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://irishelectionliterature.com/2010/04/19/marian-harkin-independent-2004-european-elections/|title=Marian Harkin – Independent – 2004 European Elections|work=Irish Election Literature|date=19 April 2010|access-date=27 April 2023}}</ref>

==Irish politics==
She was elected to [[Dáil Éireann]] as an Independent [[Teachta Dála|TD]] for the [[Sligo–Leitrim (Dáil constituency)|Sligo–Leitrim]] constituency at the [[2002 Irish general election|2002 general election]], receiving the highest number of first preference votes in the constituency.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://electionsireland.org/result.cfm?election=2002&cons=204|title=General Election: 17 May 2002 – Sligo-Leitrim|work=ElectionsIreland.org|access-date=27 April 2023}}</ref>

==Member of the European Parliament, 2004–2019==
[[File:Pat Cox and Marian Harkin, Jan 2003.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1|Harkin alongside MEP [[Pat Cox]] in 2003]]
At the [[2004 European Parliament election in Ireland|2004 European Parliament election]], she was returned as an [[Member of the European Parliament|MEP]] for the North-West constituency topping the poll and being elected on the fourth count.<ref name=elecs_irl>{{cite web|url=http://electionsireland.org/candidate.cfm?ID=4462|title=Marian Harkin|work=ElectionsIreland.org|access-date=12 May 2009|archive-date=11 June 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090611073445/http://electionsireland.org/candidate.cfm?id=4462|url-status=live}}</ref> She had previously contested the [[1999 European Parliament election in Ireland|1999 European Parliament election]] in the same constituency (then called [[Connacht–Ulster (European Parliament constituency)|Connacht–Ulster]]), but had narrowly failed to be elected, losing out to [[Dana Rosemary Scallon]] for the third seat in the constituency. However, in 2004, the position was reversed and Harkin was returned at Scallon's expense.

Harkin did not contest the [[2007 Irish general election|2007 general election]] to concentrate on her role as an MEP.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.rte.ie/news/2006/1211/83536-harkinm/|title=Independent TD Harkin to stand down|work=[[RTÉ News]]|date=11 December 2006|access-date=4 October 2020|archive-date=9 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201009041009/https://www.rte.ie/news/2006/1211/83536-harkinm/|url-status=live}}</ref>

She was a member of the [[Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe group]] (ALDE) in the [[European Parliament]].<ref name=YourMEPs>{{cite web|url=http://www.europarl.europa.eu/meps/en/28116/Marian_HARKIN.html|title=Your MEPs: Marian Harkin|work=[[European Parliament]]|access-date=26 January 2012|archive-date=3 September 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120903114059/http://www.europarl.europa.eu/meps/en/28116/Marian_HARKIN.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Harkin was a member of the European Parliament's [[European Parliament Committee on Employment and Social Affairs|Committee on Employment and Social Affairs]] and the delegation for relations with the [[United States]]. She has been [[European Democratic Party]] Vice-president since December 2012. In addition, she served as vice-chairwoman of the European Parliament Intergroup on Integrity (Transparency, Anti-Corruption and Organized Crime).<ref>[http://www.europarl.europa.eu/pdf/intergroupes/VIII_LEG_13_Integrity_20151112.pdf Members of the European Parliament on Integrity (Transparency, Anti-Corruption and Organized Crime)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208165901/http://www.europarl.europa.eu/pdf/intergroupes/VIII_LEG_13_Integrity_20151112.pdf |date=8 December 2015 }} [[European Parliament]].</ref> She is also a supporter of the MEP Heart Group, a group of parliamentarians who have an interest in promoting measures that will help reduce the burden of [[cardiovascular disease]]s (CVD).<ref>[http://www.mepheartgroup.eu/index.php/supporters Supporters] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160107222727/http://www.mepheartgroup.eu/index.php/supporters |date=7 January 2016 }} MEP Heart Group.</ref>

She was re-elected to the European Parliament at the [[2009 European Parliament election in Ireland|2009 European Parliament election]] topping the poll in her constituency. She was again re-elected at the [[2014 European Parliament election in Ireland|2014 European Parliament election]], taking the fourth seat in the new [[Midlands–North-West (European Parliament constituency)|Midlands–North-West]] constituency.

On 1 April 2019, she announced that she was not standing for re-election in the [[2019 European Parliament election in Ireland|2019 European Parliament election]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/marian-harkin-not-to-contest-european-parliament-elections-1.3845599|title=Marian Harkin not to contest European Parliament elections|date=1 April 2019|work=The Irish Times|access-date=1 April 2019|archive-date=1 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190401145801/https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/marian-harkin-not-to-contest-european-parliament-elections-1.3845599|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Return to Dáil (2020–present)==
In January 2020, she announced she was standing in the [[Sligo–Leitrim (Dáil constituency)|Sligo–Leitrim]] constituency at the [[2020 Irish general election|2020 general election]],<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.leitrimobserver.ie/news/home/508345/harkin-to-run-in-election-as-independent-candidate.html|title=Harkin to run in election as Independent candidate|date=13 January 2020|work=[[Leitrim Observer]]|access-date=13 January 2020|archive-date=13 January 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200113172347/https://www.leitrimobserver.ie/news/home/508345/harkin-to-run-in-election-as-independent-candidate.html|url-status=live}}</ref> where she was elected.

At the [[2024 Irish general election|2024 general election]], Harkin was re-elected to the Dáil. In February 2025, she was appointed as [[Minister of State at the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science]] with special responsibility for further education, apprenticeship, construction and climate skills.

In September 2025, Harkin declared her support for [[Maria Steen]]'s candidacy in the [[2025 Irish presidential election]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Matthews |first1=Jane |title=Marian Harkin latest to confirm support for Maria Steen with 24 hours until nominations close |url=https://www.thejournal.ie/maria-steen-presidential-election-2025-independent-ireland-6823438-Sep2025/ |access-date=23 September 2025 |work=The Journal |date=22 September 2025}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
*{{MEP|28116|Marian Harkin}}

{{s-start}} 
{{s-off}}
{{s-bef|before = [[Niall Collins]]}}
{{s-ttl|title  = [[Minister of State at the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science]]
       |years  = 2025–present}}
{{s-inc}}
{{s-end}}
{{Current TDs}}
{{Sligo–Leitrim (Dáil constituency)/TDs}}
{{Members of the European Parliament for Ireland (2004–2009)}}
{{Members of the European Parliament for Ireland (2009–2014)}}
{{Members of the European Parliament for Ireland (2014–2019)}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Harkin, Marian}}
[[Category:1953 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Alumni of University College Dublin]]
[[Category:21st-century women MEPs for the Republic of Ireland]]
[[Category:Independent MEPs for Ireland]]
[[Category:Independent TDs]]
[[Category:Members of the 29th Dáil]]
[[Category:Members of the 33rd Dáil]]
[[Category:21st-century women Teachtaí Dála]]
[[Category:MEPs for the Republic of Ireland 2004–2009]]
[[Category:MEPs for the Republic of Ireland 2009–2014]]
[[Category:MEPs for the Republic of Ireland 2014–2019]]
[[Category:Politicians from County Sligo]]
[[Category:European Democratic Party]]
[[Category:People from Manorhamilton]]
[[Category:Members of the 34th Dáil]]
[[Category:Ministers of state of the 34th Dáil]]