Declan Ganley | |
|---|---|
| Leader of Libertas | |
| In office 30 October 2008 – 12 September 2010 | |
| Preceded by | New office |
| Succeeded by | Office abolished[1] |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Declan James Ganley 23 July 1968 Watford, United Kingdom |
| Nationality | Irish |
| Political party | Independent |
| Other political affiliations | Libertas (2008–2010) |
| Spouse | Delia Mary Paterek (m. 1993) |
| Children | 4 |
| Residence(s) | Abbeyknockmoy, County Galway, Ireland |
| Military service | |
| Branch/service |  Army Reserve |
Declan James Ganley (born 23 July 1968) is an English-born Irish entrepreneur, businessman, and political activist. He was the founder and leader of the Irish branch of the eurosceptic Libertas Party.[2][3][4][5]
Primarily a telecommunications entrepreneur, Ganley has built businesses across the European Union, Russia and latterly, the United States. Notably, he co-founded Broadnet, a company which rolled out internet and telecoms services across the European Union in the late 1990s. In 1999, after the award of 42 German licences to Broadnet, the Irish Independent valued Broadnet at $875m.[6] Ganley later sold his shares to Comcast for an undisclosed sum.
As of 2022, he is the chairman and CEO of Rivada Networks,[7] a telecommunications company specialising in the use and arbitrage of wireless spectrum. Rivada has patented technologies in the field of dynamic spectrum arbitrage. In 2013, Ganley testified that Rivada's patents had the potential to "save the taxpayer hundreds of millions of dollars".[8] He founded and sold companies in forestry and the online sector.
During the 2008 Irish referendum on the Treaty of Lisbon, Ganley and the Libertas Institute successfully campaigned for a "No" vote, which was overturned in a second referendum.[9] He campaigned for a "No" vote in the 2012 Irish European Fiscal Compact referendum. He has guest-presented Tonight with Vincent Browne.[10]
In 2009, Ganley founded and became chairman of Libertas, a political party with pan-European ambitions. The party was unsuccessful in the 2009 European Parliament Election, succeeding in getting only one candidate elected, in France. Ganley was upbeat after the defeat, describing the venture as a failed experiment.[11]
- ^ "Ganley's Libertas company dissolved". Irish Times. Retrieved 25 March 2017.
- ^ Hennessy, Mark (22 September 2008). "Nationality of Libertas founder was listed as British in UK records". Irish Times.
I am an Irishman, and I resent anybody trying to tell me that I am not.
- ^ Hawkins, Ross; Wheeler, Brian (8 May 2009). "Libertas chief sets out Euro stall". BBC News Online.
- ^ Webster, Ben (25 May 2008). "Profile: Declan Ganley". Sunday Times. London, UK. Archived from the original on 7 October 2008.
- ^ "Fiendish Declan Ganley prepares to spoil another EU party". Financial Times.
- ^ "Ganley firm in $875m German telecoms boost". independent. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
- ^ "Declan J. Ganley, Chairman & CEO, Rivada Networks". rivada.com. Retrieved 8 January 2022.
- ^ "Oversight of FirstNet and Emergency Communications". U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce. 14 March 2014. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
- ^ "Anti-Lisbon treaty campaign is launched". RTÉ News. 12 March 2008. Retrieved 29 May 2009.
- ^ "TV3 admits getting it wrong on show's guest - Independent.ie". Independent.ie. Irish Independent. 22 August 2011. Retrieved 19 June 2018.
- ^ Sheahan, Fionnan (19 June 2018). "Ganley's pan-European dream lies in tatters - Independent.ie". Independent.ie. Irish Independent. Retrieved 19 June 2018.