James Ryan

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For other persons named James Ryan, see James Ryan (disambiguation).

**Dr. James Ryan**
Minister for Finance
Periods in office: 20 March 1957 – 21 April 1965
Predecessor(s)	Gerard Sweetman
Successor(s)	Jack Lynch
Born	6 December 1891 Wexford, Ireland
Died	25 September 1970
Political party	Fianna Fáil

Dr. James Ryan (December 6, 1891 – September 25, 1970), was a senior Irish politician. He was elected to the First Dáil at the 1918 general election and, apart from the Third Dáil (1922-1923), held his seat for Wexford until his retirement at the 1965 general election. During his long career he served as Minister for Agriculture (1932-1947), Minister for Health & Social Welfare (1947-1948 & 1951-1954) and Minister for Finance (1957-1965).

Jim Ryan was born near Taghmon, County Wexford in 1891, the youngest of a political family. He was educated at St Peter’s College, Wexford, Ring College and University College Dublin where he studied medicine. As a medical student he joined Sinn Féinand the Irish Volunteers and served as medical officer in the General Post Office during the Easter Rising in 1916. He was sentenced to life imprisonment in Frongoch following the rebellion, but was released in 1917 after a general amnesty.

In 1918 Ryan became a Sinn Féin Member of Parliament for Wexford South. During the War of Independence he was interned on Spike Island and subsequently supported the Republican side after the Anglo-Irish Treaty debates in 1921. He was not re-elected in the 1922 election but was re-elected as a Republican TD for the Wexford constituency in the 1923 general election. In 1926 Ryan, along with de Valera, Lemass and others became a founder-member of Fianna Fáil. A sister of Ryans, Phyllis, married Seán T. O'Kelly (a future Irish President), while another, Josephine, married Irish Free State General, Minister for Defence and Fine Gael politician, Richard Mulcahy.

In 1932 Fianna Fáil came to power and Ryan was appointed Minister for Agriculture when Fianna Fáil. He held that post until 1947 when he became the first ever Minister for Health & Social Welfare. Between 1957 and 1965 he served as Minister for Finance. He transformed the department to a dynamic one of economic affairs. He worked extensively with Dr T.K. Whitaker in laying the groundwork for the first Programme for Economic Expansion (1959). When Seán Lemass became Taoiseach in 1959 he wanted to appoint Ryan to the position of Tánaiste (deputy-prime minister), however, Lemass instead appointed Seán MacEntee to the position.

Ryan retired from Dáil politics in 1965 to his farm in County Wicklow. Between 1965 and 1969 he also served in the Upper House of the Oireachtas in Seanad Éireann.

Ryan's son and grandson subsequently became involved in politics. Eoin Ryan, Snr was a long-serving Senator in Seanad Éireann, serving at the same time as his father. James Ryan's grandson, also called Eoin Ryan, is currently a Fianna Fáil TD and a Member of the European Parliament.

Dr James Ryan died on September 25, 1970 at the age of 78.

[edit] Political career

Political offices
Preceded by Patrick Hogan	Minister for Agriculture 1932–1947	Succeeded by Patrick Smith
Preceded by Newly Created Positions	Minister for Health 1947–1948	Succeeded by Noel Browne
Preceded by Newly Created Positions	Minister for Social Welfare 1947–1948	Succeeded by William Norton
Preceded by John A. Costello	Minister for Health 1951–1954	Succeeded by Tom O'Higgins
Preceded by William Norton	Minister for Social Welfare 1951–1954	Succeeded by Brendan Corish
Preceded by Gerard Sweetman	Minister for Finance 1957–1965	Succeeded by Jack Lynch
Preceded by Eamon de Valera	Father of the Dáil 1959–1965	Succeeded by Frank Aiken