Séamus Brennan

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Séamus Brennan (Irish: Séamus Ó Braonáin; born February 16, 1948) is a senior Irish Fianna Fáil politician. He is currently a Teachta Dála (TD) for Dublin South and Minister for Social & Family Affairs. He has previously served as a Minister of State, Minister for Tourism & Transport (1989-1991), Minister for Tourism, Transport & Communications (1991-1992), Minister for Education (1992-1993) and Minister for Transport (2002-2004).

Contents 1 Early life 2 Entry Into Politics 3 Recent Life 4 Political career

[edit] Early life

Séamus Brennan was born in Galway in 1948. He was educated at St. Joseph's Secondary School, Galway, University College Galway and University College Dublin where he studied Economics and Commerce and qualified as an accountant. Brennan found an interest in politics during his teens when he canvassed for Fianna Fáil during elections. In the early 1970s he succeeded Tommy Mullins as Secretary General of Fianna Fáil. He began to revamp the party structure with the setting up of a national executive. Brennan studied and was impressed by the Presidential Election in the United States in 1976. He applied new techniques such as marketing strategies and opinion polls to the Irish general election the following year. This resulted in the biggest ever parliamentary majority for any party. Fianna Fáil and Jack Lynch were back in power with a 20-seat majority. Brennan was rewarded by being appointed to Seanad Éireann.

[edit] Entry Into Politics

In 1979 Brennan supported George Colley in the Fianna Fáil leadership contest, caused by the retirement of Jack Lynch. However, Charles Haughey was narrowly successful and a new Secretary General of the party was appointed. In 1981 Brennan was elected to Dáil Éireann and has been returned at every election ever since then. In the early 1980s he was a prominent member of the Gang of 22 who tried unsuccessfully to wrestle control of the Fianna Fáil party from Charles Haughey. He supported Colley, and later Desmond O'Malley, in various leadership heaves throughout the whole era. It was widely expected that Brennan would join the Progressive Democrats when they were founded by O'Malley in 1985 but instead he remained within Fianna Fáil.

In 1987 Charles Haughey's Fianna Fáil were back in power and Brennan was rewarded by being appointed Minister of State with responsibility for Trade and Marketing. In 1989 he became a full Cabinet Minister when he was appointed Minister for Tourism & Transport. In 1991 his brief was widened when the Communications portfolio came under his control. In 1992 Albert Reynolds succeeded Haughey as Taoiseach. Brennan was one of the few ministers in Charles Haughey's Cabinet who remained in Reynolds' new government. He was appointed Minister for Education. In 1993 a Fianna Fáil-Labour Party coalition came to power and Brennan was demoted to Minister of State for Commerce & Technology. He remained in this position until 1994.

[edit] Recent Life

In 1995 Fianna Fáil were out of power and the new leader, Bertie Ahern named his new Front Bench. Brennan became Fianna Fáil spokesman for Transport, Energy & Communications. In 1997 Fianna Fáil returned to power and Brennan became Government Chief Whip and Minister of State at the Departments of An Taoiseach and Defence. He was promoted to the position of Minister for Transport in 2002.

In the much publicised cabinet reshuffle of September 2004, Brennan was moved to the post of Minister for Social & Family Affairs. It is an open secret that this move was contrary to Brennan's wishes, and was widely seen as a demotion. It has also been stated that Brennan was originally going to be sacked from the government and would have been if it wasn't for the intervention of the Tánaiste, Mary Harney. However, Brennan has worked successfully in his current position.

[edit] Political career

Oireachtas
Preceded by: Newly created constituency	Fianna Fáil Teachta Dála for Dublin South 1981–	Succeeded by: Current Incumbent
Political offices
Preceded by: Newly created office	Minister of State at the Department of Industry & Commerce 1987–1989	Succeeded by: Terry Leyden
Preceded by: John P. Wilson	Minister for Tourism & Transport 1989–1991	Succeeded by: the office of Minister for Tourism, Transport & Communications
Preceded by: the office of Minister for Toursim & Transport	Minister for Tourism, Transport & Communications 1991–1992	Succeeded by: Máire Geoghegan-Quinn
Preceded by: Noel Davern	Minister for Education 1992–1993	Succeeded by: Niamh Bhreathnach
Preceded by: Michael Ahern	Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise & Employment 1993–1994	Succeeded by: Pat Rabbitte
Preceded by: Jim Higgins	Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach 1997-2002	Succeeded by: Mary Hanafin
	Minister of State at the Department of Defence 1997-2002
Preceded by: Minister for Public Enterprise Mary O'Rourke	Minister for Transport 2002–2004	Succeeded by: Martin Cullen
Preceded by: Mary Coughlan	Minister for Social & Family Affairs 2004 – present	Incumbent

This page incorporates information from the Oireachtas Members Database