Former Ireland South MEP Mr Brian Crowley has died aged 61, following a year-long illness.
Mr Crowley, a West Cork native, passed away in the early hours of this morning, while receiving treatment at Cork University Hospital.
Elected to the European Parliament on five occasions between 1994 and 2014, Mr Crowley served as an MEP for two decades and stepped down in 2019. He initially represented Fianna Fáil before being removed from the party after a dispute linked to his decision to join the European Conservatives and Reformists Group.
He was a wheelchair user, having been paralysed from the waist down following an accident at the age of 16. In his final term, he faced criticism over prolonged absences from the European Parliament due to illness, though he maintained he continued constituency work while hospitalised.
Paying tribute, Taoiseach Mr Micheál Martin described Mr Crowley as a “hugely impressive individual”, noting his strong electoral bond with voters and his personal resilience. Tánaiste Mr Simon Harris also expressed sympathies to Mr Crowley’s family, acknowledging his decades of public service and the affection he commanded across the Ireland South constituency.
Mr Crowley is survived by his mother, Sally, and his siblings.
In ár gcroíthe go deo.
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