Phillip Dunigan

Phillip Dunigan
File:PhillipDunigan.jpg
10th Prime Minister of Sainte Genevieve In office 1st September 2004–Present
Preceded by	Brian Densmore
Succeeded by	Incumbent
MP for Rossport East In office 22nd October 1991–Present
Preceded by	??
Succeeded by	Incumbent
Born	12th Nov 1960 (age 47) Rossport, Co Rossport
Political party	Social Democrat
Spouse	Claire (McHale) Dunigan (b. 1961) (m. 1985; div. 1992)
Children	Christine Dunigan (b. 1990)
Alma mater	North Sea Catholic University
Occupation	Politican
Religion	Roman Catholic

Mr Phillip Dunigan, MP (b. 12th Nov 1960) is a Sainte Genevieve politician, and holds the title of Prime Minister of Sainte Genevieve.

Early Life

Mr Dunigan was born in Rossport, and has lived there nearly his entire life. He is the oldest child of four (three sisters and no brothers) born to John and Rose Dunigan, a real estate developer and a schoolteacher. Although a bright boy, young Phillip was a self-described "goof-off" when it came to schoolwork. His poor discipline caused him to fail the competency exam required for promotion from Primary to Lower Secondary level school, and forced him to repeat Level Five. He has stated in interviews that this was the "wake-up call" he needed, and he achieved exemplary marks through the rest of his compulsory education. He scored in the 97th percentile on his University Entrance Exam.

Dunigan attended North Sea Catholic University from 1980 to 1984, and it during his time there that he became a member of the Social Democrat party. Upon returning to Rossport with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, Dunigan became active in local politics. He also married Claire McHale, whom he met as a student at NSCU, in 1985. The marriage produced one daughter, Christine (b. 1990) before ending in divorce in 1992.

Political Career

After having served in various positions within the Rossport chapter of the Social Democrat party, a friend encouraged him to run for a seat on the Rossport City Council in 1987. Dunigan easily won the election, and took an active role in promoting the party throughout Rossport City. His first two-year term on the city council ended in a minor scandal, however, when he was accused of accepting kickbacks in exchange for approving certain business permit applications without going through the formal process. This was intended to "grandfather in" the businesses in question, since a new set of city codes regarding business permits was set to go into effect later in the year. Although Dunigan continues to maintain his innocence on the matter, it has followed him throughout his political career. Despite this, he was elected to a second term on the council in 1989.

The unexpected dissolution of Parliament on 4th September 1991 prompted local party leaders to ask Dunigan to consider running for a seat. Dunigan declared his candidacy soon after with the support of his party. He easily won a seat in Parliament and was sworn in on 22nd October 1991.

Member of Parliament, 1991-Present

Despite being only 30 years old when he became an MP, Dunigan established himself as a capable and popular legislator. His first five years in Parliament were spent in opposition to the ruling Conservative-National coalition, and he emerged as one of Parliament's most outspoken critics of the State Council at the time. In 1993, he was asked to take on the portfolio of Transportation and Development in the opposition's Shadow State Council. When the 12th Parliament was dissolved on 17th September 1996, Dunigan stood for reelection in Rossport East. He emerged victorious, though with a smaller proportion of first-preference votes. The overwhelming success of the Social Democrats in the 1996 General Election brought the party back into government, and Dunigan assumed the position of Minister for Transportation and Development. After winning another re-election in 2001, he was appointed Deputy Prime Minister in addition to holding the Transportation and Development portfolio. When Party Leader Brian Densmore announced his retirement from politics following the dissolution of the 14th Parliament, he supported Dunigan as his replacement. Dunigan was re-elected to a fourth term in 2004, and was sworn in as Prime Minister by President Margaret O'Hanlon on 1st September 2004.

Prime Minister, 2004-Present

In his term as Prime Minister, Mr Dunigan has been a popular and effective leader, with varying degrees of approval coming from all five major parties. In 2006, Conservative Party leader Keith Newhouse, MP said of him, "Of all the people [the Conservatives] could have chosen to lead this government, Phillip Dunigan was it." Dunigan has been credited with bridging the divide between the two main factions in Parliament, the Social Democrats/Progressives and the Conservatives/Nationals. In 2008, when the Green Party withdrew its support of his State Council, Mr Dunigan kept the confidendence of Parliament despite his coalition having a majority of only one seat.

According to the Constitution, the current Parliament must be dissolved no later than 31st August 2009, and it is expected to last nearly that long. Because a Presidential election is scheduled for the spring of 2009, the Prime Minister may request the President dissolve Parliament so the General election will coincide with it. Mr Dunigan has stated that he will wait until more is known about the Presidential election before making such a request.

Personality

Mr Dunigan has become known for his quick wit and dry sense of humor. After being sworn in as Prime Minister in 2004, he joked to the press, "Who would have thought that two heathens would ever run this country?" This was in reference to both his and President Margaret O'Hanlon's status as divorced Roman Catholics.

The Prime Minister is also a devoted father, and states that his family obligations always take precedent over his job. In a 2005 interview with the Dungannon Daily News, he said, "I made the mistake of confusing my priorities earlier in my career, and it cost me my marriage. I promised myself I wouldn't make that mistake again." In 2006, he dismissed a meeting of the State Council early in order to take his daughter to get her driving license, and in 2007, spent a week in San Francisco as a parent chaperon on his daughter's school trip.

In 2008, Mr Dunigan was criticized, albeit lightly, by the Roman Catholic Bishop of Sainte Genevieve for failing to attend Parliament's annual Good Friday Mass. In response to this, he told the Sainte Genevieve Independent, "I have attended Good Friday Mass at Parliament for the past sixteen years. This year, I wanted to attend it at [his parish] St. Sebastian's. I don't think the Lord would mind."