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Charles Flanagan
Charles Flanagan (born 1 November 1956) is an Irish former Fine Gael politician who served as Minister for Justice and Equality from 2017 to 2020, Chair of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence from 2020 to 2024, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade from 2014 to 2017, Minister for Children and Youth Affairs from May to July 2014 and Chair of the Fine Gael parliamentary party from 2011 to 2014. He was a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Laois–Offaly constituency from 2020 to 2024, and previously from 1987 to 2002, 2007 to 2016 and from 2016 to 2020 for the Laois constituency.
Flanagan was born in 1956 in Mountmellick, County Laois. His father was Oliver J. Flanagan, an Irish Fine Gael politician who served as Minister for Defence from 1976 to 1977. He attended Knockbeg College at a secondary level and studied at University College Dublin and the Law Society of Ireland, where he qualified as a solicitor.
Flanagan was first elected to Dáil Éireann at the 1987 general election, succeeding his father. Following his father's death in 1987, he was co-opted onto his seat on Laois County Council. He served until the abolition of the dual mandate in 2004.
He retained his seat at each election until losing it at the 2002 general election but regained it at the 2007 general election. He was party spokesperson on Justice, Equality and Law Reform from 2007 to 2010, and was the party Spokesperson on Children from 2010 to 2011.
He was Chair of the Fine Gael parliamentary party from June 2011 to May 2014.
On 7 May 2014, following the resignation of Alan Shatter as Minister for Justice and Minister for Defence, Flanagan was appointed the following day as Minister for Children and Youth Affairs to succeed Frances Fitzgerald, who assumed the Justice portfolio. On 11 July 2014, Flanagan was appointed as Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, succeeding the former Labour leader Eamon Gilmore.
He supported Leo Varadkar in the 2017 Fine Gael leadership election, and upon Varadkar's appointment as Taoiseach on 14 June 2017, Flanagan was appointed as Minister for Justice and Equality. Flanagan was replaced as Minister for Justice by Helen McEntee on the formation of a new government with Micheál Martin as Taoiseach on 27 June 2020.
Flanagan had previously said he intended to contest the next general election, but on 25 September 2023, he announced that he would not run, citing the split of Laois–Offaly constituency into two constituencies.
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Charles Flanagan
Charles Flanagan (born 1 November 1956) is an Irish former Fine Gael politician who served as Minister for Justice and Equality from 2017 to 2020, Chair of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence from 2020 to 2024, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade from 2014 to 2017, Minister for Children and Youth Affairs from May to July 2014 and Chair of the Fine Gael parliamentary party from 2011 to 2014. He was a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Laois–Offaly constituency from 2020 to 2024, and previously from 1987 to 2002, 2007 to 2016 and from 2016 to 2020 for the Laois constituency.
Flanagan was born in 1956 in Mountmellick, County Laois. His father was Oliver J. Flanagan, an Irish Fine Gael politician who served as Minister for Defence from 1976 to 1977. He attended Knockbeg College at a secondary level and studied at University College Dublin and the Law Society of Ireland, where he qualified as a solicitor.
Flanagan was first elected to Dáil Éireann at the 1987 general election, succeeding his father. Following his father's death in 1987, he was co-opted onto his seat on Laois County Council. He served until the abolition of the dual mandate in 2004.
He retained his seat at each election until losing it at the 2002 general election but regained it at the 2007 general election. He was party spokesperson on Justice, Equality and Law Reform from 2007 to 2010, and was the party Spokesperson on Children from 2010 to 2011.
He was Chair of the Fine Gael parliamentary party from June 2011 to May 2014.
On 7 May 2014, following the resignation of Alan Shatter as Minister for Justice and Minister for Defence, Flanagan was appointed the following day as Minister for Children and Youth Affairs to succeed Frances Fitzgerald, who assumed the Justice portfolio. On 11 July 2014, Flanagan was appointed as Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, succeeding the former Labour leader Eamon Gilmore.
He supported Leo Varadkar in the 2017 Fine Gael leadership election, and upon Varadkar's appointment as Taoiseach on 14 June 2017, Flanagan was appointed as Minister for Justice and Equality. Flanagan was replaced as Minister for Justice by Helen McEntee on the formation of a new government with Micheál Martin as Taoiseach on 27 June 2020.
Flanagan had previously said he intended to contest the next general election, but on 25 September 2023, he announced that he would not run, citing the split of Laois–Offaly constituency into two constituencies.