imported>Zazpot: Undid revision 1219031870 by Inicir (talk) rvv. Inicir's edit introduced typos ("total,l", "201,0,"), spuriously introduced an error into the title of a citation, and edited a quote so that it no longer accurately reflects the source.

2024-04-15T11:13:12Z

Undid revision 1219031870 by Inicir (talk) rvv. Inicir's edit introduced typos ("total,l", "201,0,"), spuriously introduced an error into the title of a citation, and edited a quote so that it no longer accurately reflects the source.

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{{Short description|Irish economist, journalist (b. 1962)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}}
{{Use Hiberno-English|date=May 2016}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| nationality = [[Irish people|Irish]]
| image = George Lee at count.jpg
| imagesize = 175px
| caption = Lee in June 2009
| office = [[Teachta Dála]]
| term_start = [[2009 Dublin South by-election|6 June 2009]]
| term_end = 8 February 2010
| constituency = [[Dublin South (Dáil constituency)|Dublin South]]
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1962|9|27|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Templeogue]], [[Dublin]], Ireland
| death_date =
| death_place =
| alma_mater = {{ubl|[[University College Dublin]]|[[London School of Economics]]}}
| occupation = {{ubl|[[Journalist]]|[[Economist]]|[[Broadcasting|Broadcaster]]|former [[Politician]]}}
| party = [[Fine Gael]] {{small|(2009–2010)}}
| spouse = Mary Lee
| children = 2
| website =
}}
'''George Lee''' (born 27 September 1962)<ref name=IT_20090509>{{cite news|url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/weekend/2009/0509/1224246181570.html |title=From goggle box to ballot box |author=Deaglán De Bréadún |author-link=Deaglán de Bréadún |date=9 May 2009 |newspaper=[[The Irish Times]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121014065239/http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/weekend/2009/0509/1224246181570.html |archive-date=14 October 2012 |access-date=10 May 2009 |url-status=dead}}</ref> is an [[Irish people|Irish]] economist, journalist, television and radio presenter, and former [[Fine Gael]] politician. He has worked for [[RTÉ]] since 1992. Since 2019, he has been Environment Correspondent for [[RTÉ News]]. He previously was Economics Editor in 1996.

Lee left RTÉ and became a [[Teachta Dála]] (TD) for the [[Dublin South (Dáil constituency)|Dublin South]] constituency in June 2009, winning a [[2009 Dublin South by-election|by-election]] with a 53.4% majority and was referred to as a "celebrity TD". On 8 February 2010, Lee announced his resignation both from Fine Gael and from [[Dáil Éireann]], having spent nine months in politics. His reasoning was that he had "virtually no influence or input". He returned to RTÉ in May 2010,<ref name="Lee back on RTE airwaves as host of new show">{{cite news|author=Jason O'Brien|title=Lee back on RTÉ airwaves as host of new show|url=http://www.independent.ie/national-news/lee-back-on-rte-airwaves-as-host-of-new-show-2218058.html|access-date=12 June 2010|newspaper=[[Irish Independent]]|date=12 June 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100614105038/http://www.independent.ie/national-news/lee-back-on-rte-airwaves-as-host-of-new-show-2218058.html|archive-date=14 June 2010|url-status=dead}}</ref> and presented ''Mind Your Business'', followed by ''The Business'' on [[RTÉ Radio 1]] from 2010. During his time in RTÉ News, he was named Irish Journalist of the Year for uncovering a major [[Tax avoidance and tax evasion|tax evasion]] and overcharging scandal at [[National Irish Bank]].

==Early and personal life==
Lee's father was a motor mechanic and his mother was a hairdresser.<ref name=II_20100209>{{cite news|url=http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/he-didnt-make-friends-and-looked-down-on-us-26630808.html|title='He didn't make friends and looked down on us'|author=Aine Kerr|newspaper=[[Irish Independent]]|date=9 February 2010|access-date=13 February 2010|archive-date=30 October 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161030203757/http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/he-didnt-make-friends-and-looked-down-on-us-26630808.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Lee was the seventh in a family of eight children and grew up in [[Templeogue]], [[Dublin]].<ref name="RTÉ Guide 2008">{{cite web|url=http://www.rteguide.ie/2008/0120/staroftheday.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130217233916/http://www.rteguide.ie/2008/0120/staroftheday.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=17 February 2013 |title=RTÉ article on George Lee in China |work=[[RTÉ Guide]] |date=20 January 2008 |access-date=21 February 2009 }}</ref> He attended [[Coláiste Éanna]], a Christian Brothers' School in the Dublin suburb of [[Ballyroan, County Dublin|Ballyroan]]. Lee is a graduate of [[University College Dublin]] and holds an [[Master of Science|MSc]] in Economics from the [[London School of Economics]] where his specialist area was labour economics and unemployment.

He is married to Mary Lee (née Kitson),<ref name="IT_20100223">{{cite news|url=http://www.irishtimes.com/news/crowd-puller-of-messianic-proportions-takes-to-pulpit-to-spread-his-message-1.625724|title=Crowd-puller of messianic proportions takes to pulpit to spread his message|author=Michael Parsons|date=23 February 2010|newspaper=[[The Irish Times]]|quote=His wife, Mary (nee Kitson) is a native of Borrisokane, Co Tipperary.|access-date=23 February 2010|archive-date=5 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305153259/http://www.irishtimes.com/news/crowd-puller-of-messianic-proportions-takes-to-pulpit-to-spread-his-message-1.625724|url-status=live}}</ref> they have two children, Alison and Harry,<ref name="RTÉ Guide 2008" /> and lives in [[Cabinteely]]. Lee famously travelled to work in RTÉ using a [[Segway PT|Segway]],<ref name=IT_20090509/> once giving it a test ride live on ''[[Tubridy Tonight]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.rte.ie/tv/tubridytonight/20090321.html|title=Tubridy Tonight|publisher=[[Raidió Teilifís Éireann]]|date=21 March 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110521193441/http://www.rte.ie/tv/tubridytonight/20090321.html|archive-date=21 May 2011|access-date=21 March 2009|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Career==
Lee joined the [[Civil service of the Republic of Ireland|civil service]] as an executive officer in the [[Central Statistics Office (Ireland)|Central Statistics Office]].<ref name=II_20100209/> Two years later he started at University College Dublin where he studied economics under academics such as Brendan Walsh and Peter Neary.

Prior to his move into broadcasting, he lectured in [[National University of Ireland, Galway|NUI, Galway]] and then worked as a journalist with ''[[The Sunday Business Post]]''. Lee was also a Senior Economist at Riada Stockbrokers. He also worked as Treasury Economist with FTI<ref name=RTE_Lee_bio/> and as a research economist with the [[Central Bank and Financial Services Authority of Ireland|Central Bank of Ireland]].<ref name=II_20100209/>

From 1992 to 2009 he worked in [[RTÉ]], the public broadcasting service of [[Republic of Ireland|Ireland]]. He was appointed Economics Editor with RTÉ in 1996.<ref name=RTE_Lee_bio>{{cite web|url=http://www.rte.ie/news/features/webchat/george_lee.html|title=RTÉ bio of George Lee|publisher=[[RTÉ News and Current Affairs]]|date=2 June 2006|access-date=21 February 2009| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090216060813/http://www.rte.ie/news/features/webchat/george_lee.html|archive-date=16 February 2009}}</ref> Lee was named Irish Journalist of the Year, along with [[Charlie Bird]], in 1998 after they uncovered a major [[Tax avoidance and tax evasion|tax evasion]] and overcharging scandal at [[National Irish Bank]]. He has devised, researched and presented several television series, including ''Moneybox'', ''More To Do'', ''Winds of Change'', and ''Beyond the Berlin Wall''. He is thought of as an "economics guru".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.independent.ie/opinion/analysis/lise-hand-portraitgate-lisbon-abuse-reports-floods-and-fbombs-it-really-was-some-year-26594227.html|title=Portraitgate, Lisbon, abuse reports, floods and F-bombs - it really was some year|author=Lisa Hand|newspaper=[[Irish Independent]]|date=24 December 2009|access-date=24 December 2009|archive-date=5 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305071642/http://www.independent.ie/opinion/analysis/lise-hand-portraitgate-lisbon-abuse-reports-floods-and-fbombs-it-really-was-some-year-26594227.html|url-status=live}}</ref> He left RTÉ "in the late 1990s" to work for BCP Stockbrokers. He left the job and returned to his RTÉ post the next day.<ref name="Sunday Trib 20100214 1">{{cite news|url=http://www.tribune.ie/news/home-news/article/2010/feb/14/lee-a-td-for-nine-months-a-stockbroker-for-one-day/ |title=Lee: a TD for nine months, a stockbroker for one day |author=Jennifer Bray |date=14 February 2010 |newspaper=[[Sunday Tribune]] |access-date=15 February 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100218131524/http://www.tribune.ie/news/home-news/article/2010/feb/14/lee-a-td-for-nine-months-a-stockbroker-for-one-day/ |archive-date=18 February 2010}}</ref>

Before embarking on his political career, he filmed a four-part series based on the [[Berlin Wall|fall of the Berlin Wall]] in 2008.<ref name="Lee is back on RTE but just for a TV special">{{cite news|url=http://www.herald.ie/national-news/city-news/lee-is-back-on-rte-but-just-for-a-tv-special-1921357.html |title=Lee is back on RTÉ but just for a TV special |author=Geraldine Gittens |date=22 October 2009 |work=[[Evening Herald]] |access-date=24 October 2009 }}{{dead link|date=January 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> It was aired on [[RTÉ One]] in November 2009.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tvsales.rte.ie/programming/factual.htm#prog03 |title=RTÉ Television Sales: Beyond the Berlin Wall |publisher=[[Raidió Teilifís Éireann]] |access-date=24 October 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090901064420/http://tvsales.rte.ie/programming/factual.htm |archive-date= 1 September 2009}}</ref>

George Lee was parodied in the 1990s comedy ''[[Bull Island (TV show)|Bull Island]]'', where he was seen "menacingly staring down the lens of a camera",<ref name=EH_20090726>{{cite news|url=http://www.herald.ie/lifestyle/home-family/theres-a-new-poster-boy-on-the-block-27911807.html|title=There's a new poster boy on the block|author=Collette Fitzpatrick|date=15 May 2009|newspaper=[[Evening Herald]]|access-date=26 July 2009|archive-date=31 October 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161031023624/http://www.herald.ie/lifestyle/home-family/theres-a-new-poster-boy-on-the-block-27911807.html|url-status=live}}</ref> and has also been featured on [[RTÉ 2fm]]'s ''[[Nob Nation]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hotpress.com/archive/5088196.html|title=Nob Nation 2 - The Recession Album|work=[[Hot Press]]|access-date=26 July 2009|archive-date=21 February 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100221100530/http://hotpress.com/archive/5088196.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Political career===
[[File:Politicians at Lisbon 2.jpg|thumb|Lee (right) with [[Eamon Ryan]] (left) and [[Déirdre de Búrca]] (centre) at the [[Twenty-eighth Amendment of the Constitution of Ireland|second Lisbon Treaty referendum]].]]
On 5 May 2009 on the ''[[RTÉ News at One|News at One]]'' on [[RTÉ Radio 1]], Lee announced that he was resigning as Economic Editor with RTÉ and announced his intention to seek the [[Fine Gael]] nomination for the [[Dublin South (Dáil constituency)|Dublin South]] [[2009 Dublin South by-election|by-election]] in 2009.<ref name=RTE_20090505>{{cite news|url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2009/0505/finegael.html |title=RTÉ's Lee to stand for FG in Dublin South |publisher=[[RTÉ News]] |date=5 May 2009 |access-date=5 May 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090508080536/http://www.rte.ie/news/2009/0505/finegael.html |archive-date= 8 May 2009}}</ref> Lee took a year's unpaid leave from RTÉ in May 2009.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/exrte-editor-to-get-full-salary-if-he-returns-26630785.html|title=Ex-RTÉ editor to get full salary if he returns|publisher=[[RTÉ News]]|date=9 February 2010|access-date=9 February 2010|first=Fiach|last=Kelly|archive-date=30 October 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161030204702/http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/exrte-editor-to-get-full-salary-if-he-returns-26630785.html|url-status=live}}</ref> On 6 May 2009 Lee was chosen as the Fine Gael candidate for the by-election. He was the only candidate for the nomination.<ref name=RTE_20090506>{{cite news|url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2009/0506/election.html |title=Parties select bye-election candidates |publisher=[[RTÉ News]] |date=6 May 2009 |access-date=7 May 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090509090153/http://www.rte.ie/news/2009/0506/election.html |archive-date= 9 May 2009}}</ref>

He was elected on the first count to represent Dublin South on 6 June 2009.<ref name=oireachtas_db>{{cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/members/member/George-Lee.D.2009-06-05/|title=George Lee|work=Oireachtas Members Database|date=4 February 2010|access-date=14 December 2019|archive-date=14 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191214114438/https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/members/member/George-Lee.D.2009-06-05/|url-status=live}}</ref> He received over 53% of the 1st preference vote. In total he received 27,768 1st preference votes.<ref name=elecs_irl>{{cite web|url=http://electionsireland.org/candidate.cfm?ID=9413|title=George Lee|work=ElectionsIreland.org|access-date=24 September 2009|archive-date=10 June 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090610213957/http://electionsireland.org/candidate.cfm?ID=9413|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=IT_20090606>{{cite news|url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2009/0606/breaking1.htm |title=FG's Lee 'humbled' by landslide by-election win |author=Deaglán de Bréadún |author-link=Deaglán de Bréadún |newspaper=[[The Irish Times]] |date=6 June 2009 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130126113240/http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2009/0606/breaking1.htm |archive-date=26 January 2013 |access-date=6 June 2009 |url-status=dead}}</ref> His RTÉ position was filled by Europe editor [[Sean Whelan (journalist)|Sean Whelan]],<ref name=EH_20091021>{{cite news|url=http://www.herald.ie/news/whelan-to-fill-lees-shoes-in-rte-rejig-27929924.html|title=Whelan to fill Lee's shoes in RTÉ rejig|author=Kevin Doyle|date=21 October 2009|newspaper=[[Evening Herald]]|access-date=22 October 2009|archive-date=30 October 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161030202309/http://www.herald.ie/news/whelan-to-fill-lees-shoes-in-rte-rejig-27929924.html|url-status=live}}</ref> but only as correspondent.<ref name=IFTN_200091022>{{cite news|url=http://www.iftn.ie/broadcast/?act1=record&only=1&aid=73&rid=4282633&tpl=archnews&force=1|title=Sean Whelan New RTÉ Economics Correspondent|date=22 October 2009|work=[[Irish Film and Television Network|IFTN]]|access-date=22 October 2009|archive-date=14 March 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120314003723/http://www.iftn.ie/broadcast/?act1=record&only=1&aid=73&rid=4282633&tpl=archnews&force=1|url-status=live}}</ref> Instead, David Murphy was promoted to Business Editor. When elected, Lee was referred to as a "Celebrity TD".<ref name=KA_20091009>{{cite news|url=http://www.advertiser.ie/kilkenny/article/17845|title=FG TD George Lee to open 'Comer trade and craft fair'|author=Kate O'Neill|date=9 October 2009|newspaper=Kilkenny Advertiser|access-date=24 October 2009|archive-date=21 July 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721123525/http://www.advertiser.ie/kilkenny/article/17845|url-status=live}}</ref>

In an opinion poll concerning support for possible candidates in the [[2011 Irish presidential election|2011 presidential election]] conducted by the ''[[Sunday Independent (Ireland)|Sunday Independent]]'' in October 2009, Lee came third, receiving 12% support, in front of former [[Taoiseach]] [[Bertie Ahern]] among other high-profile politicians.<ref name=SI_200091011>{{cite news|url=http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/womans-place-is-still-in-the-aras-poll-26572771.html|title=Woman's place is still in the Aras -- poll|author=Jerome Reilly|date=11 October 2009|newspaper=[[Sunday Independent (Ireland)|Sunday Independent]]|access-date=24 October 2009|archive-date=18 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141018150050/http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/womans-place-is-still-in-the-aras-poll-26572771.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

Lee highlighted the failure of [[EMPG]], the holding company for US publisher [[Houghton Mifflin Harcourt]], and the potential impact on the Irish taxpayers of the loans given by [[Anglo Irish Bank]] to the investors in EMPG on 13 January 2010. Lee saw this as another example for the urgent need of an investigation into the [[2008–2010 Irish banking crisis|Irish banking crisis]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://irishdev.com/Home/News/821-eLearning-Education-Client-Drop-Out.html|title=eLearning Education Client Drop Out|date=13 January 2010|work=Irish Software Developers Network|access-date=13 February 2010|archive-date=10 March 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100310081804/http://irishdev.com/Home/News/821-eLearning-Education-Client-Drop-Out.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Resignation from politics===
On 8 February 2010 he announced his resignation from Fine Gael and from Dáil Éireann, due to having "virtually no influence or input" into shaping Fine Gael's economic policies at a time of economic upheaval.<ref name="RTÉ Fine Gael TD George Lee resigns">{{cite news|url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0208/leeg.html |title=Fine Gael TD George Lee resigns |publisher=[[RTÉ News]] |date=8 February 2010 |access-date=8 February 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100211115335/http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0208/leeg.html |archive-date=11 February 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2010/0208/breaking40.htm |title=George Lee resigns from Fine Gael and Dáil Éireann |newspaper=[[The Irish Times]] |date=8 February 2010 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130127000616/http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2010/0208/breaking40.htm |archive-date=27 January 2013 |access-date=8 February 2010 |url-status=dead}}</ref> It emerged that on 2 February, Lee met with the Fine Gael leader [[Enda Kenny]] and told him of his intention to resign. Kenny then offered Lee the frontbench position as spokesman on economic planning. Speaking to reporters outside [[Leinster House]] soon after his announcement, Lee said it would have been dishonest of him to accept the position: "I had absolutely no input for nine months. I think I had to be honest with myself and honest with the electorate about that and not pretend." Asked if his resignation was a vote of no confidence in Kenny, Lee said there were "certainly lots of large mutterings at the moment in relation to the leader's position". He said he had "minimal involvement" with Fine Gael finance spokesman [[Richard Bruton]]. "I had a maximum of two or three conversations with Richard Bruton in a total nine months period. I don’t know how my relationship is with [him]" Lee said.<ref name=IT_20090209>{{cite news|url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2010/0209/1224264030191.html |title=Lee rejected Kenny offer of job on front bench |author=Harry McGee |newspaper=[[The Irish Times]] |date=9 February 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101118183947/http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2010/0209/1224264030191.html |archive-date=18 November 2010 |access-date=9 February 2010 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

Kenny noted Lee had been appointed chair of the party's committee on economic policy and also its forum. "I had anticipated a very important role for [George Lee] in the coming period with Fine Gael." Kenny's spokesman later dismissed the proposition that the resignation had implications for his leadership. He cited the public endorsement of Kenny by 20 Dáil deputies over the course of the weekend.<ref name=IT_20090209/> Former Fine Gael leader [[Michael Noonan (Fine Gael politician)|Michael Noonan]] said he was surprised at the decision: "I thought that George Lee was fitting in well", adding that he believed he would have been a cabinet member in a Fine Gael-led government.

George Lee was criticised after his resignation by Senator [[Eoghan Harris]], who was speaking on the ''Lunchtime'' programme of [[Newstalk]] Radio. Harris suggested financial considerations and long working hours of politicians were the reasons why Lee resigned.<ref>{{cite video|people=[[Eoghan Harris]], Eamon Keane |date=10 February 2010 |title=Eoghan Harris on George Lee, Enda Kenny, and what it means to be a leader |url=http://media.newstalk.ie/extra/473/popup |medium=Radio broadcast |publisher=[[Newstalk]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100215061349/http://media.newstalk.ie/extra/473/popup |archive-date=15 February 2010 |access-date=13 February 2010 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2010/0213/1224264353785.html |title=Miriam Lord's Week |author=Miriam Lord |date=13 February 2010 |newspaper=[[The Irish Times]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121020002537/http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2010/0213/1224264353785.html |archive-date=20 October 2012 |access-date=13 February 2010 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Fine Gael TD [[Brian Hayes (politician)|Brian Hayes]], who was Lee's campaign manager in the Dublin South by-election, said that in discussions with Lee, the latter had complained about "a major reduction in his income" since leaving RTÉ to become a Dáil backbencher. Lee denied that financial considerations had anything to do with his decision to quit politics.<ref name=IT_20090211>{{cite news|url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2010/0211/1224264202736.html |title=Departure of Lee now in the past, says Kenny |author=Deaglán de Bréadún |author-link=Deaglán de Bréadún |newspaper=[[The Irish Times]] |date=11 February 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101119182112/http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2010/0211/1224264202736.html |archive-date=19 November 2010 |access-date=12 February 2010 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

===Return to RTÉ===
RTÉ received a letter from Lee confirming his intentions to return after his leave of absence.<ref name="RTÉ gets letter confirming former TD's return">{{cite news|url=http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/rte-gets-letter-confirming-former-tds-return-26631711.html|title=RTÉ gets letter confirming former TD's return|author=Jason O'Brien|date=12 February 2010|newspaper=[[Irish Independent]]|access-date=21 February 2010|archive-date=16 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160316082625/http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/rte-gets-letter-confirming-former-tds-return-26631711.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The ''[[Sunday Tribune]]'' said on 14 February 2010 that he would have to wait for three months before returning to RTÉ.<ref name="Sunday Trib 20100214 1" /> Exactly a year after leaving RTÉ, he returned to the broadcaster on 5 May 2010.<ref>{{cite news|author=Pat Stacey|title=Pat Stacey: What next for George Lee?|url=http://www.herald.ie/opinion/pat-stacey-what-next-for-george-lee-27950713.html|access-date=12 June 2010|newspaper=[[Evening Herald]]|date=6 May 2010|archive-date=5 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305203515/http://www.herald.ie/opinion/pat-stacey-what-next-for-george-lee-27950713.html|url-status=live}}</ref> He worked as an advisor on the RTÉ business desk. He presented ''Mind Your Business''<ref>{{cite news|title=Murray gets the Tubridy slot|url=http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/tv-radio/murray-gets-the-tubridy-slot-26663477.html|access-date=1 July 2010|newspaper=[[Irish Independent]]|date=1 July 2010|author=Ken Sweeney|archive-date=19 April 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150419002849/http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/tv-radio/murray-gets-the-tubridy-slot-26663477.html|url-status=live}}</ref> on [[RTÉ Radio 1]] on Saturday Mornings as a summer replacement for ''The Business''.<ref name="Lee back on RTE airwaves as host of new show" />

When [[John Murray (Irish broadcaster)|John Murray]] moved to present his own programme, Lee took over ''The Business'' slot on 4 September 2010 on Saturday mornings on RTÉ Radio 1.<ref name="The Business">{{cite news|title=George Lee to present The Business |url=http://www.rte.ie/ten/2010/0831/leeg.html |access-date=3 September 2010 |publisher=[[Raidió Teilifís Éireann]]|date=31 August 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100902170145/http://www.rte.ie/ten/2010/0831/leeg.html |archive-date= 2 September 2010}}</ref> In addition to the radio edition, Lee has presented a televised version on [[RTÉ One]], also titled ''The Business''.<ref>{{cite web|title=RTÉ One: The Business|url=http://www.rte.ie/tv/programmes/the_business.html|publisher=[[Raidió Teilifís Éireann]]|access-date=27 June 2012|archive-date=14 April 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120414042448/http://www.rte.ie/tv/programmes/the_business.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

Lee has been Environment Correspondent for RTÉ since 27 June 2019.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.rte.ie/author/923777-george-lee/|title=George Lee|publisher=[[RTÉ News and Current Affairs]] |access-date=18 March 2021|archive-date=13 March 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210313064942/https://www.rte.ie/author/923777-george-lee/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thejournal.ie/george-lee-rte-correspondent-4699746-Jun2019/|title=George Lee appointed as RTÉ's new environment and science correspondent|publisher=[[TheJournal.ie]]|first=Dominic|last=McGrath|date=27 June 2019 |access-date=18 March 2021|archive-date=8 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210708224726/https://www.thejournal.ie/george-lee-rte-correspondent-4699746-Jun2019/|url-status=live}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|George Lee (journalist)}}
*{{IMDb name|1521191|George Lee}}

{{Dublin South (Dáil constituency)/TDs}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Good article}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lee, George}}
[[Category:1962 births]]
[[Category:20th-century Irish economists]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Alumni of the London School of Economics]]
[[Category:Alumni of University College Dublin]]
[[Category:Fine Gael TDs]]
[[Category:21st-century Irish economists]]
[[Category:Members of the 30th Dáil]]
[[Category:People from Templeogue]]
[[Category:RTÉ newsreaders and journalists]]
[[Category:People educated at Coláiste Éanna]]
[[Category:Broadcasters from County Dublin]]

George Lee (journalist) - Revision history

imported>Zazpot: Undid revision 1219031870 by Inicir (talk) rvv. Inicir's edit introduced typos ("total,l", "201,0,"), spuriously introduced an error into the title of a citation, and edited a quote so that it no longer accurately reflects the source.