David Begg (trade unionist)

David Begg (born 7 March 1950) is a former General Secretary of the main Irish organised labour body, the Irish Congress of Trade Unions,[2] between 2001 and 2015, and later CEO of major development charity Concern Worldwide. In 2021, he was appointed as chairperson of the Workplace Relations Commission for five years by Damien English.[3]

David Begg
Born (1950-03-07) 7 March 1950 (age 74)[1]
Dublin, Ireland
Occupation(s)Trade Union Leader (retired) and NGO CEO
Known forGeneral Secretary of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, later CEO of Concern Worldwide (development charity)
PredecessorPeter Cassells (ICTU)

He has also been a director of Ireland's Central Bank (1995–2010), a governor of the Irish Times Trust (2001–2011), a non-executive director of Aer Lingus, a member of the National Economic and Social Council (NESC), and of the Advisory Board of Development Co-operation Ireland.

Early life

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Begg was born in north Dublin.[1] He worked in the ESB and became active in the trade union movement.

Education

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Begg holds master's degree in international relations from DCU and a PhD in sociology from Maynooth University.[4] He is an adjunct professor at Maynooth University Institute of Social Sciences (MUSSI).[3]

Controversies

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After the Jobstown Protest in November 2014, which saw a sit-down protest occur in front of Tánaiste Joan Burton's car, David Begg stated that he believed that Burton's assistant, Labour Party official Karen O'Connell, was beaten and kicked.[5] Some protestors were subsequently taken to court for false imprisonment but acquitted and subsequently charges were dropped against the remaining protestors.[6]

On 13 January 2016 the same Tánaiste, Joan Burton, in her role as Social Protection Minister, appointed Mr Begg as chair of the Pension Authority.[7]

Book

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Begg's study of Northern European open economies, Lost in Transition, was published internationally by Palgrave Macmillan in February 2016.

References

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  1. ^ a b "Fact File: David Begg". Irish Times. 1 June 2001. Retrieved 1 July 2017.
  2. ^ "Staff & Executive Council » About Congress » Congress – Irish Congress of Trade Unions". Ictu.ie. Retrieved 10 December 2015.
  3. ^ a b "Minister Damien English, Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, appoints Dr David Begg as Chairperson of the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC)". Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment. 1 February 2021. Retrieved 1 July 2017.
  4. ^ David Begg – Our Alumni Maynooth University Alumni.
  5. ^ "Burton associate 'kicked and beaten' in Jobstown protest, claims Begg". Irish Times. 22 November 2014. Retrieved 1 July 2017.
  6. ^ "Charges dropped against remaining Jobstown defendants". Irish Independent. 20 September 2017. Retrieved 6 January 2023.
  7. ^ "Tánaiste announces David Begg as Chair of the Pensions Authority". Department of Social Protection. 13 January 2016. Retrieved 1 July 2017.
Trade union offices
Preceded by
John Mitchell
General Secretary of the Electricity Supply Board Officers' Association
1982–1985
Succeeded by
?
Preceded by
Terry Quinlan
General Secretary of the Post Office Workers' Union
1985–1989
Succeeded by
Position abolished
Preceded by
Seamus De Paor
General Secretary of the Communication Workers' Union
1990–1997
Succeeded by
Con Scanlon
Preceded by General Secretary of the ICTU
2001–2015
Succeeded by