Brian Joseph Lenihan SC (Irish: Brian Ó Luineacháin; born 21 May 1959)^[1] is an Irish politician. He is currently a Fianna Fáil Teachta Dála (TD) for Dublin West and the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform. Image File history File links Question_book-3. ... The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform is the senior minister at the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform in the Irish Government. ... Open seat redirects here. ... is the 165th day of the year (166th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... Michael McDowell (Irish: ;[1] born 1 May 1951) is a former Irish politician and a founding member of the Progressive Democrats political party. ... is the 149th day of the year (150th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1959 (MCMLIX) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see Dublin (disambiguation). ... Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party (Irish: ), commonly referred to as Fianna Fáil (IPA ; traditionally translated by the party into English as Soldiers of Destiny, though the actual meaning is Soldiers [Fianna] of Ireland[1]), is currently the largest political party in Ireland with 55,000 members. ... The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... The title of Senior Counsel (postnominal SC; 資深大律師 in Hong Kong Cantonese [1] [2]; 高级律师 in Singapore Mandarin [3] [4]) or State Counsel is given to a senior barrister or advocate in some countries, especially in Commonwealth countries or jurisdictions in which the British monarch is no longer head of state, such... is the 141st day of the year (142nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1959 (MCMLIX) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party (Irish: ), commonly referred to as Fianna Fáil (IPA ; traditionally translated by the party into English as Soldiers of Destiny, though the actual meaning is Soldiers [Fianna] of Ireland[1]), is currently the largest political party in Ireland with 55,000 members. ... A Teachta Dála (Irish for Dáil Deputy, pronounced chock-ta dawla) is a member of Dáil Éireann, the lower chamber of the Irish Oireachtas or National Parliament. ... Dublin West is a constituency represented in Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament or Oireachtas. ... The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform is the senior minister at the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform in the Irish Government. ...

Early & private life

Lenihan was born in Dublin in 1959. He was educated at Belvedere College and attended Trinity College where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree. Lenihan subsequently received a law degree from Cambridge University before returning to King's Inns in Dublin where he trained as a barrister. He began lecturing in law at Trinity College in 1984, the same year that he was called to the bar. From 1992 to 1995 he was a member of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Tribunal and the Garda Síochána Complaints Appeal Board,^[2] and in 1997 he became a senior counsel. For other uses, see Dublin (disambiguation). ... Belvedere College SJ is a private secondary school for boys located on Great Denmark Street, Dublin, Ireland. ... The College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin or more commonly Trinity College, Dublin (TCD) was founded in 1592 by Queen Elizabeth I, is the only constituent college of the University of Dublin, Irelands oldest university. ... A B.A. issued from the University of Tennessee. ... The University of Cambridge (often Cambridge University), located in Cambridge, England, is the second-oldest university in the English-speaking world and has a reputation as one of the worlds most prestigious universities. ... The Kings Inns or formally the Honorable Society of Kings Inns (HSKI) is the institution which controls the entry of barristers-at-law into the justice system of the Republic of Ireland. ... This article is about the year. ... The title of Senior Counsel (postnominal SC; 資深大律師 in Hong Kong Cantonese [1] [2]; 高级律师 in Singapore Mandarin [3] [4]) or State Counsel is given to a senior barrister or advocate in some countries, especially in Commonwealth countries or jurisdictions in which the British monarch is no longer head of state, such...

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. 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. The Tánaiste (IPA: ; plural Tánaistí ), or, more formally, An Tánaiste[1], is the deputy prime minister of the Republic of Ireland. ... Official Seal of the President of Ireland The President of Ireland (Irish: ) is the head of state of the Republic of Ireland. ... In the Irish presidential election in 1990 the Irish Labour Party let it be known that it would for the first time run a candidate. ... Patrick Lenihan was a Fianna Fail TD (member of parliament) in the Republic of Ireland in the early 1960s. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Conor Lenihan (born 3 March 1963), is an Irish Fianna Fáil politician. ...

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,^[3] but although Lenihan secured only 252 more first-preference votes than Joe Higgins of the Socialist Party, he was elected on the 11th count.^[4] 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, the was allowed to attend cabinet meetings. Dublin West is a constituency represented in Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament or Oireachtas. ... This is an incomplete list of Irish by-elections, with the names of the incumbent and victor and their respective parties. ... Noel Dempsey (Irish: ; born 6 January 1953) is a senior Irish Fianna Fáil politician. ... Joe Higgins (born 1 May 1949) was the Socialist Partys sole TD (member of the Irish Dáil Éireann), representing Dublin West. ... The Socialist Party (in Irish Páirtí Sóisialach) is a political party active in Ireland. ... The Irish general election of 1997 was held on Friday, June 6, 1997. ... The Constitution of Ireland (Irish: Bunreacht na hÉireann)[1] is the founding legal document of the state known today both as Ireland and as the Republic of Ireland. ... The Minister of State in Ireland, who has special reponsibilty for children, is officially styled Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children, at the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform and at the Department of Education and Science (with special responsibility for Children), and is a... The Government (Irish: ) [ral̪ˠt̪ˠəs̪ˠ n̪ˠə heːɼən̪ˠ] is the cabinet that exercises executive authority in the Republic of Ireland. ...

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. The Irish general election of 2007 took place on 24 May 2007 after the dissolution of the 29th Dáil by the President on 29 April 2007, at the request of the Taoiseach. ... The Progressive Democrats (Irish An Páirtí Daonlathach, lit. ... The Green Party (Irish: ; lit. ...

The Future

Lenihan has been named as a possible contender to succeed Bertie Ahern as Taoiseach and leader of Fianna Fáil, although Brian Cowen is acknowledged as the clear favourite.^[5] Bartholomew Bertie Ahern (Irish: ;[1] born 12 September 1951) is an Irish politician who, since 26 June 1997, has served as the tenth Taoiseach of Ireland. ... The Taoiseach (IPA: , phonetic: TEE-shock — plural: Taoisigh ( or ), also referred to as An Taoiseach [1], is the head of government or prime minister of the Republic of Ireland . ... Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party (Irish: ), commonly referred to as Fianna Fáil (IPA ; traditionally translated by the party into English as Soldiers of Destiny, though the actual meaning is Soldiers [Fianna] of Ireland[1]), is currently the largest political party in Ireland with 55,000 members. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ...

References

2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 4th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 4th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 4th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 4th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 329th day of the year (330th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 4th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ...

See also

• Families in the Oireachtas