Irene Vorrink

Irene Vorrink (The Hague, January 7, 1918 - Leek, August 21, 1996) was a PvdA politician. She was Minister of Health in the cabinet Den Uyl (1973-1977).

She was born on January 7, 1918 in The Hague as the daughter of the Dutch socialist leader Koos Vorrink. She studied law until 1943 and held several legal functions, before she became a member of the Upper House for the PvdA in 1969.

In 1973 she became Minister of Health in the cabinet Den Uyl. A major issue was the legislation concering drugs, which she achieved in 1976, together with Minister of Justice, Dries van Agt. The Netherlands has since then a distinction between soft drugs and hard drugs.

She was also known as the minister who wanted a legal settlement to add fluoride fluoride compounds to the drinking water with the intended purpose of reducing tooth decay. However, she did not get a majority in the Lower House. Only her own party supported her.

From 1978 until 1979 Vorrink was an alderman in the municipality of Amsterdam.