Pig feed row angered O'Keeffe
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NED O'Keeffe has been described as a rebel backbencher for years.
The 65-year-old former pig farmer has been a disappointed (some would say angry) man ever since he was forced to resign as Junior Minister for Agriculture in 2001.
He failed to disclose his family farm's licence to feed meat-and-bonemeal to pigs during a Dail debate on the BSE issue.
A subsequent Dail investigation found he had breached ethics legislation and he had to step down in 2001.
Born in Mitchelstown, Co Cork in 1942, he is well respected as a hard working and straight-talking politician.
Although he professed his loyalty to Mr Ahern's leadership on previous occasions, he failed to turn up for a crucial vote of confidence in him last September and a subsequent vote on the Shannon-Heathrow slots issue.
- Michael Brennan
