Brian Lenihan, Jnr

Infobox Minister
name = Brian Lenihan, Jnr
honorific-suffix =

---

width = 150px
office = Minister for Finance
term_start = 7 May 2008
term_end =
taoiseach = Brian Cowen
predecessor = Brian Cowen
successor =
order2 = Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform
term_start2 = 14 June 2007
term_end2 = 7 May 2008
taoiseach2 = Bertie Ahern
predecessor2 = Michael McDowell
successor2 = Dermot Ahern
order3 = Teachta Dála
for Dublin West
term_start3 = 2 April 1996
term_end3 =
taoiseach3 =
predecessor3 = Brian Lenihan, Snr
successor3 =
birth_date = Birth date and age|1959|5|29|df=yes
birth_place = Dublin, Ireland
death_date =
death_place =
party = Fianna Fáil
residence = Castleknock
salary =
spouse = Patricia Ryan
profession = Barrister
religion = Roman Catholic
nationality = Irish
alma_mater = Trinity College, Dublin and Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge
website =
footnotes =

Brian Joseph Lenihan SC ( _ga. Brian Ó Luineacháin; born 21 May 1959) [cite news
url=http://oireachtas.ie/members-hist/default.asp?housetype=0&HouseNum=30&MemberID=628&ConstID=96
title=Brian Joseph Lenihan
work=Oireachtas Members Database
accessdate=2008-01-04] is an Irish politician. He is currently a Fianna Fáil Teachta Dála (TD) for Dublin West and the Minister for Finance.

Early & private life

Lenihan was born in Dublin in 1959. He was educated at Belvedere College, where he was School Captain (i.e. Head Prefect), Trinity College, Dublin (Foundation Scholar, First Class Hons BA Mods), Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge (First Class Hons LLB) and the Honorable Society of King's Inns.

He began lecturing in law at Trinity College, Dublin in 1984 and in the same year was called to the Irish Bar. From 1992 to 1995 he was a member of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Tribunal and the Garda Síochána Complaints Appeal Board,cite web
url=http://www.fiannafail.ie/person.phpx?pid=30&bid=30&rel=TD&aid=123
title=Brian Lenihan TD
work=Fianna Fáil website
accessdate=2008-01-04] and in 1997 he became a Senior Counsel.

Lenihan is married to Patricia Ryan and they have two children one girl and one boy.

Early political career

Lenihan is a member of a famous Irish political dynasty.cite news
last = Ross
first = Shane
coauthors =
title = Breeding and brains of Brian
work = Sunday Independent
pages =
language =
publisher =
date = 11 May 2008
url = http://www.independent.ie/business/breeding-and-brains-of-brian-1372311.html
accessdate = 2008-05-14] His father Brian Lenihan, Snr was a cabinet minister for over twenty-five years, Tánaiste, and a candidate for President in the 1990 election. His grandfather was Patrick Lenihan who followed his son into the Dáil from 1965 until 1970. Lenihan’s aunt is Mary O'Rourke, a TD for over twenty years and a former cabinet minister. His brother Conor is also a TD and Minister of State. Another brother, Paul is currently practising law in France. Despite this he said on "The Week in Politics" (RTE 8 June 2008) that he resents any implication that he is a member of the political establishment.

Lenihan first became involved in politics in 1996 when he was asked to stand in the Dublin West by-election caused by the death of his father. Noel Dempsey, who was Fianna Fáil's Director of Elections in the contest, did not expect his party to hold the seat, [cite web
url=http://www.noeldempsey.ie/about/
title=About Noel Dempsey
author=
work=Noel Dempsey's website
date=
accessdate=2008-01-04
quote=He was Director of Elections for the Dublin West by-election in 1996 and defied the odds by securing the seat for Brian Lenihan. This was the first by election victory for Fianna Fáil since 1985.] Lenihan secured 252 more first-preference votes than Joe Higgins of the Socialist Party, and was elected on the 11th count. [cite web
url=http://www.electionsireland.org/result.cfm?election=1992B&cons=112%20&ref=115
title=Dublin West by-election, 2 April 1996
author=
work=ElectionsIreland.org
date=
accessdate=2008-01-04] Following his re-election in the 1997 general election Lenihan became chairman of the All-Party Oireachtas Committee on the Constitution. He served in this position until 2002, when he was appointed Minister of State (with special responsibility for Children). He retained the post in 2005 when the government upgraded it to a cross-departmental role allowing all those in government whose job it is to look after the interests of children to work under one aegis. Although not a member of the cabinet, he was allowed to attend cabinet meetings.

Cabinet career: 2007–present

After the 2007 general election Fianna Fáil were returned to power as part of a coalition with the Progressive Democrats and the Green Party. Lenihan was the only Fianna Fáil TD to be promoted to the cabinet, as Minister for Justice, a post which his father had held from 1964 to 1968. They are the only father-son pair to have held that office. He was promoted to Minister of Finance following the election of Brian Cowen as Taoiseach on the 7 May 2008.

References

ee also

*Families in the Oireachtas

Navboxes
title=Brian Lenihan, Jnr
list1=