Avril Doyle

Who is Avril Doyle?

Avril Doyle is a former Irish politician. She was a member of Fine Gael, part of the European People's Party.

Avril Belton was born in Dublin and was educated at University College Dublin. Her father Richard Belton was a Senator and her grandfather Patrick Belton was a Teachta Dála. She was a member of Wexford County Council, including a term as Mayor of Wexford town. She was first elected to Dáil Éireann at the November 1982 general election as a Fine Gael TD for the Wexford constituency. She lost her seat at the 1989 general election but was re-elected at the 1992 general election, again losing her seat at the 1997 general election to party colleague Michael D'Arcy. She was a member of the Seanad from 1989–1992 and from 1997–2002. She was elected as a Member of the European Parliament at the 1999 election and re-elected at the 2004 election. She served as a Minister of State in the Fine Gael-Labour Party coalition governments of 1982–87 and 1994–97.

Doyle made news during debate in the European Parliament in June 2008 after the rejection of the Treaty of Lisbon by Irish voters. A group of British Eurosceptic MEPs wore green hats and T-shirts, encouraging the EU to respect the Irish 'no' vote. However, many Irish MEPs saw this as self-serving and felt that there would be no Eurosceptic support for Irish opinion had the treaty been accepted; and Doyle was both lauded and criticised for the following comment, which is a reference to the forceful occupation of Ireland by Britain; "How the history books could have been written differently, if respect for the Irish vote from some of our British colleagues was always there."