Dermot Ahern

Dermot Ahern ( Irish: Diarmuid Ó hEachthairn; born February 2, 1955 in Drogheda, County Louth ) is an Irish Fianna Fáil politician. He was from 2008 to 2011 Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform.

Biography

Ahern visited the St. Mary 's College, Marist Brothers in Dundalk and then graduated in law at University College Dublin, before he then worked as a solicitor.

His political career began in 1987 when he was elected as the candidate of Fianna Fáil for the first time for the Members of the lower house ( Dáil Éireann ). There he represented the constituency of Louth since then.

In 1989 he was first of Taoiseach Charles J. Haughey to the State Minister of the Taoiseach ( Prime Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach ) called, then took over the office of the State Minister in the Ministry of Defence, before November 1991 to February 1992 Parliamentary Secretary ( Chief Whip ) the government faction in the lower house was. Subsequently, he was until 1997 chairman of the British -Irish Parliamentary Association (British - Irish Inter- Parliamentary Body), an office which was then taken over by Michael O'Kennedy.

After the Fianna Fáil in June 1997 in turn could form the government, he was appointed by Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, with whom he is not related, Minister for Social Welfare. In a cabinet reshuffle, he took over in June 2002, initially the Office of the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, before he was appointed by Taoiseach Ahern Minister for Foreign Affairs on 13 September 2004.

After the inauguration of Ahern's successor Brian Cowen as Taoiseach, he was appointed Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform appointed in the new government on May 7, 2008, while he followed the former Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Micheál Martin as Foreign Minister.

In the elections of 31 Dáil Éireann in February 2011 Ahern waived for health reasons for reelection. In January 2011, he had resigned from his ministerial post.