Brian Lenihan

Thursday, 04 June 2009 10:31

Constituency Office :

Laurel Lodge Shopping Centre
Dublin 15
Phone: + 353 1 822 0970

Birth Place and Date :
Dublin; 21 May, 1959

Family :
Married to Patricia Ryan
1 son, 1 daughter
Education :
Belvedere College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin (BA [Mod])
Cambridge University (LLB)
King's Inns

Career :

Cabinet Minister, Senior Counsel

Brian Lenihan was appointed as Minister for Finance on 7 May, 2008. He has served as Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform from the 14 June, 2007 to May 2008. Prior to that he had been Minister of State with responsibility for Children at the Department of Health and Children, the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, and the Department of Education and Science.

He was first elected to the Dáil in April 1996 in the by-election caused by the death of his father, Brian, who had been a deputy in Dublin West since 1977. During the 28th Dáil , Brian Lenihan was Chairperson of the All-Party Oireachtas Committee on the Constitution which considered changes in the abortion laws. He was also a member of the Committee on Procedure and Privileges.

He is a son of Brian Lenihan, former Tánaiste and a Minister in various portfolios, who was a Dáil deputy for Roscommon-Leitrim from 1961 to 1973 and for Dublin West from 1977 to 1995. He is a brother of Conor Lenihan, Dáil deputy for Dublin South-West, and a nephew of Mary O'Rourke, Dáil deputy for Longford–Westmeath, who has held various ministerial posts. He is a grandson of Patrick Lenihan, Dáil deputy from 1965 to 1970.