Willie Penrose

Who is Willie Penrose?

Willie Penrose is an Irish Labour Party politician. He has been a Teachta Dála for the Longford–Westmeath constituency since May 2007. He was Minister of State for Housing and Planning from March to November 2011, when he resigned his position and also the Labour Party whip over the closure of an army barracks.

Penrose was born in Ballynacargy, County Westmeath, and educated at St. Mary's CBS, Mullingar; Coláiste Mhuire, Mullingar; Multyfarnham Agricultural College; University College Dublin, and the King's Inns. He qualified as a barrister before entering into politics. Penrose first held public office when he was elected to Westmeath County Council at the 1984 local elections. At the 1992 general election he was first elected to Dáil Éireann as a TD for the Westmeath constituency. On that occasion the Labour Party won a record 33 Dáil seats, a feat that was surpassed at the 2011 General election.

In 2002, Penrose was a candidate for the deputy leadership of the Labour Party. Although he was part of a joint ticket with Pat Rabbitte, who won the leadership comfortably, he was narrowly defeated for the deputy leadership by Liz McManus, polling 1,636 votes to McManus' 1,728.