Mary Hanafin

Mary Hanafin (Irish Máire Ní Ainifín, born June 1, 1959 in Thurles, County Tipperary ) is an Irish politician and was last Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport of the Republic of Ireland.

Hanafin visited the St. Patrick 's College, Maynooth and the Dublin Institute of Technology. From 1985 to 1991 she was a member of the City Council of Dublin ( Dublin City Council ). 1989 ran unsuccessfully Hanafine in Dublin South East constituency as Fianna Fáil candidate for a seat in Dáil Éireann. Only in 1997, she managed to collect for the electoral district of Dun Laoghaire to the House of the Irish Parliament. In the following elections in 2002 and 2007, she was able to defend its mandate. As a Teachta Dala she held from 2000 to 2004 various positions as Minister of State, before she was appointed Minister of Education (Minister for Education and Science), 2004. This office practiced Hanafin from until May 2008, when she was social and family minister. In 2010 she moved to the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport.

Hanafin is the daughter of Irish politician and Senator Desmond Hanafin. Her brother John Hanafin is also a senator in the Seanad Éireann. Before its 1997 election Hanafin was as a teacher of Irish and History at Dominican College in Blackrock, County Dun Laoghaire - Rathdown, works.