Michael Ring

Michael John Ring (born 24 December 1953) is an Irish Fine Gael politician who has served as Minister for Rural and Community Development since June 2017. He has been a Teachta Dála (TD) since 1994, currently for the Mayo constituency. He previously served as Minister of State for Regional Economic Development from 2016 to 2017 and Minister of State for Tourism and Sport from 2011 to 2016.

Contents

• Thejournal ie michael ring lets loose
• Ned o keeffe michael ring clash in d il eireann march 30th 2010
• References

Ring was born in Westport and was educated at Westport CBS and the local vocational school. He later worked as an estate agent and auctioneer in Westport. Ring was unsuccessful as a Fine Gael candidate in the Mayo West constituency in the 1992 general election, however, he was elected at his second attempt in a 1994 by-election.

After an initial period on the backbenches, Ring bolstered his political base by securing election to Mayo County Council in 1999. He was appointed to the Fine Gael Front Bench in 2002 as Spokesperson on Social and Family Affairs. Ring stepped down from the Front Bench in 2004 after a planned demotion, however, he returned in 2007 as Spokesperson on Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs.

After the formation of the Coalition Government in March 2011, Ring was appointed Minister of State for Tourism and Sport. Following the formation of a Fine Gael minority government in May 2016, he was appointed Minister of State for Regional Economic Development. He was appointed to cabinet in June 2017 as Minister for Rural and Community Development.