Ruairi Quinn
Ruairi Quinn (Irish Ruairí Ó Cuinn; born April 2, 1946 in Dublin) is an Irish politician, former party chairman of the Irish Labour Party, since 1982 deputy in Dáil Éireann and since March 2011 Minister of Education in the cabinet of Enda Kenny.
Quinn attended Blackrock College in Dublin and studied architecture at University College Dublin. From 1971 to 1982, since 1969, working as an architect Quinn was a lecturer in architecture at the School of Architecture, a faculty of the University College Dublin. In 1982 he gave up these activities in order to devote himself entirely to his political activities.
Quinn's political career began in 1974 when he became a member of the Dublin City Council (Dublin City Council). He held until 1977 this office. In the same year he was first elected to the Dáil Éireann after 1973 his former attempt to be elected to the lower house of the Irish Parliament had failed. In the elections to the 22 Dáil Éireann, however, he could not defend his seat and retired in 1981 again from the Parliament. The re- entry into the Dail then succeeded Quinn in the next election in February 1982. Since then he has without interruption Teachta Dala. In addition, he was from 1976 to 1977 and from 1981 to 1982 in the Seanad Éireann senator.
In 1990, Quinn Vice- chairman of the party and his party dissolved in 1997 Dick Spring as party chairman from when he took office in November. October 2002, he resigned from the party chairmanship. New party leader was Pat Rabbitte.
In the 1980s and 90s, Quinn had repeatedly held several ministerial posts. He was from 1982 to 1983, Minister of State (Minister of State for the Environment ), 1984 to 1987, Minister of Labour, 1986-1987 Minister of Public Service, and from 1993 to 1994 Minister for Enterprise and Employment and Minister of Finance from 1994 to 1997. Since 1998, Quinn Vice Chairman and Treasurer of the Party of European Socialists.
In addition to his political activities, he is also a member of the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland as well as Amnesty International.
Quinn has a son and a daughter from a previous marriage and is married again since 1990; in October 1994 he was again a son. The politician Oisín Quinn is his nephew.