Frances Fitzgerald (politician)

Frances Fitzgerald
TD
Minister for Justice and Equality
Incumbent
Assumed office
8 May 2014
Preceded by Alan Shatter
Minister for Children and Youth Affairs
In office
9 March 2011 – 7 May 2014
Preceded by New office
Succeeded by Charles Flanagan
Teachta Dála
Incumbent
Assumed office
February 2011
Constituency Dublin Mid–West
In office
November 1992 – May 2002
Constituency Dublin South–East
Senator
In office
July 2007 – February 2011
Constituency Labour Panel
Personal details
Born 1 August 1950
Croom, County Limerick, Ireland
Nationality Irish
Political party Fine Gael
Spouse(s) Michael Fitzgerald
Children 3
Alma mater
Website www.francesfitzgerald.ie

Frances Fitzgerald (born 1 August 1950) is an Irish Fine Gael politician, and is the Minister for Justice and Equality. She has been a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Dublin Mid–West constituency since February 2011. She was a member of Seanad Éireann on the Labour Panel from 2007 to 2011, and was previously a TD for the Dublin South–East constituency from 1992 to 2002.[1]

Early and personal life

Born Frances Ryan in Croom, County Limerick, she was educated at Dominican College Sion Hill school, Blackrock, University College Dublin and London School of Economics.[2] She is a former social worker.

She is married to psychiatrist Michael Fitzgerald and has three sons, an actor, a trainee accountant and a student.[3][4]

Career

Fitzgerald was first elected to Dáil Éireann at the 1992 general election and retained her seat at the 1997 general election. She lost her seat at the 2002 general election. She then stood for election to the 22nd Seanad on the Administrative Panel, but was unsuccessful.

At the 1999 local elections, she was elected as a Dublin City Councillor for Rathmines, but she did not contest the 2004 local elections.[5]

Before being elected a TD, she had been a high-profile Chair of the Council for the Status of Women from 1988 to 1992.

She was the Fine Gael candidate at the 2007 general election for the Dublin Mid-West constituency, but she was not elected.[6] She was elected to the Seanad in July 2007. On 12 September 2007, she was appointed leader of the Fine Gael group in Seanad Éireann, and was also Fine Gael Seanad spokesperson on Health and Children, and a member of the Fine Gael Front Bench.

She was elected as a Fine Gael TD for the Dublin Mid–West constituency at the 2011 general election.[5] On 9 March 2011, she was appointed as Minister for Children and Youth Affairs.

On 8 May 2014, Fitzgerald succeeded Alan Shatter as Minister for Justice and Equality.[7][8]

References

  1. ↑ "Ms. Frances Fitzgerald". Oireachtas Members Database. Retrieved 27 February 2010.
  2. ↑ "Lunch with... Frances Fitzgerald". Irish Independent. 1 March 2014.
  3. ↑ "Profile: Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald". Irish Times. 8 May 2014. Retrieved 8 May 2014.
  4. ↑ "Frances Fitzgerald: From social worker to Justice Minister". The Journal. 8 May 2014. Retrieved 8 May 2014.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Frances Fitzgerald". ElectionsIreland.org. Retrieved 27 February 2010.
  6. ↑ "General Election 2007 – Dublin Mid–West". ElectionsIreland.org. Retrieved 27 February 2010.
  7. ↑ "Frances Fitzgerald named as new Minister for Justice". Irish Independent. 8 May 2014. Retrieved 8 May 2014.
  8. ↑ "Frances Fitzgerald to replace Shatter as Minister for Justice". RTÉ News. 8 May 2014. Retrieved 8 May 2014.

External links

Oireachtas
Preceded by
Garret FitzGerald
(Fine Gael)		 Fine Gael Teachta Dála for Dublin South–East
1992–2002 		Succeeded by
Michael McDowell
(Progressive Democrats)
Preceded by
John Curran
(Fianna Fáil)		 Fine Gael Teachta Dála for Dublin Mid–West
2011–present 		Incumbent
Political offices
New office Minister for Children and Youth Affairs
2011–2014 		Succeeded by
Charles Flanagan
Preceded by
Alan Shatter		 Minister for Justice and Equality
2014–present 		Incumbent