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3rd September 2010

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PERSONAL PROFILE

John O’Donoghue was born on the 28th May 1956 in Cahirciveen, Co. Kerry. He is married to Kate Ann Murphy and they have two sons and one daughter. John O’Donoghue is a full time political representative and is a T.D. for Kerry South in the 30th Dáil.

John O’Donoghue was educated in Cahirciveen CBS and then went on to study Law at University College Cork. He graduated from UCC in 1976 with a BcL (Hons) and in 1977 with a LLB (Hons). He then attended the Incorporated Law Society of Ireland from where he graduated as a solicitor in 1978. Once qualified he practised as a Solicitor in his home town of Cahirciveen before entering political life.

POLITICAL PROFILE

John O’Donoghue contested his first General Election as a Fianna Fáil candidate in 1981. He polled 3,780 first preference votes but was unsuccessful in his bid to win a Dáil seat in the Kerry South Constituency. In February 1982 John O’Donoghue once again contested a General Election. This time he polled 4,977 first preference votes, but despite increasing his vote by over a thousand first preferences was unsuccessful.

In November 1982 yet another General Election was called and John O’Donoghue contested as a Fianna Fáil candidate. Despite polling 7,201 first preference votes, he was unsuccessful. At this stage the aspiring politician would have been forgiven for returning to his Law Practice in Cahirciveen and concentrating on his business. John O’Donoghue did not do this.

Building on his electoral base from contesting three General Elections in quick succession, John O’Donoghue was elected to Kerry County Council in 1985. He served on Kerry County Council until 1997 and was elected Chairman in 1990. He was appointed to the Southern health Board by the Minister for Health in 1982 and served there until 1997.

In 1987 John O’Donoghue contested his fourth General Election as a Fianna Fáil candidate. After the disastrous Coalition of Fine Gael and Labour, the citizens of Ireland and Kerry South wanted a change. At this stage the country was virtually ‘on its knees’ after the inept management of the Coalition Government. John O’Donoghue was elected to the 25th Dáil in 1987. He polled 5,606 first preference votes.

This Fianna Fáil Government, under the leadership of Taoiseach Charles Haughey made the tough decisions and provided the necessary vision, commitment and leadership that turned the fortunes of Ireland around. This lay the foundations for the economic and social prosperity that we now live in. Charles Haughey called a General Election in 1989, and this time John O’Donoghue ran as a sitting Fianna Fáil T.D. He polled 8,375 first preferences votes and was returned to the 26th Dáil as a T.D. for Kerry South.

Fianna Fáil formed a Coalition Government with the Progressive Democrats. John O’Donoghue served his time on the backbenches until Charles Haughey appointed him Minister of State at the Department of Finance in November 1991. In this position he had special responsibility for the Office of Public Works (OPW).

John O’Donoghue returned to the backbenches when Albert Reynolds became Leader of Fianna Fáil and Taoiseach in February 1992. With the collapse of the Fianna Fáil led Coalition Government another General Election was called in November 1992. John O’Donoghue polled 8,263 first preference votes and was elected to the 27th Dáil as a T.D. for Kerry South. Fianna Fáil formed a Coalition Government with Labour. This Government lasted until 1994, when Labour walked out of the Coalition and formed a new ‘Rainbow Coalition’ with Fine Gael and Democratic Left. Fianna Fáil went to the Opposition benches and Albert Reynolds was replaced as the Party Leader.

Bertie Ahern appointed John O’Donoghue to his Opposition Front Bench in 1995 as Spokesperson on Justice. While in this position he held the Fine Gael Minister for Justice, Nora Owen to account. During this time he became the first politician in the history of the state to enact three criminal justice bills from the opposition benches.

• The Criminal Law Sexual (Jurisdiction) Bill,
• The Criminal Justice (Bail) Bill and
• The Proceeds of Crime Bill, which was instrumental in the setting up of the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) and the introduction of the Proceeds of Crime Act.

He is widely regarded as the best Opposition Spokesperson on Justice in the history of the State.

In the General Election of 1997, John O’Donoghue polled 7,204 first preference votes and was elected to the 28th Dáil as a T.D. for Kerry South. Fianna Fáil formed a Government with the support of several Independents. Bertie Ahern became Taoiseach and John O’Donoghue was appointed Minister for Justice, Equality & Law Reform.

In this position he was instrumental in the negotiations that led to the Good Friday Agreement in 1998 and the beginning of the Peace Process on this Island. While Minister for Justice, Equality & Law Reform his legislative record was highly impressive.

In the General Election of 2002, John O’Donoghue polled 9,445 first preference votes and was elected on the 1st count. Fianna Fáil was in a better position than after the 1997 General Election and formed a Coalition Government with the Progressive Democrats. Taoiseach Bertie Ahern appointed John O’Donoghue Minister for Arts, Sport & Tourism. In a Cabinet reshuffle of 2004 John O’Donoghue remained in that position. This was widely acknowledged to be a reward for the outstanding job that he has done in that Department.

As Minister for Arts, Sport & Tourism, John O’Donoghue is generally regarded by all those involved in Arts, Sport and Tourism to be one of the most successful, able and farsighted politician’s to hold this position. With his energy, leadership, vision, and commitment he oversaw unprecedented investment, development and growth in the Arts, Sport and Tourism sectors in Ireland.

LEGISLATIVE RECORD

MINISTER FOR JUSTICE, EQUALITY & LAW REFORM

• Registration of Title (Amendment) Act, 1997
• Europol Act , 1997
• Arbitration (International Commercial) Act, 1998
• Interpretation (Amendment) Act, 1997
• Courts Service Act , 1998
• Tribunals of Inquiry (Evidence) (Amendment) Act , 1997
• Courts (No. 2) Act , 1997
• Tribunals of Inquiry (Evidence)(Amendment) Act, 1998
• Tribunals of Inquiry (Evidence) (Amendment) (No. 2) Act, 1998
• Employment Equality Act , 1998
• Child Trafficking and Pornography Act, 1998
• Parental Leave Act, 1998
• Firearms (Temporary Provisions) Act, 1998
• Offences against the State (Amendment) Act, 1998
• Jurisdiction of Courts and Enforcement of Judgments Act, 1998
• Criminal Justice (Location of Victims’ Remains) Act, 1999
• Criminal Justice Act, 1999
• National Disability Authority Act, 1999
• Immigration Act, 1999
• Courts (Supplemental Provisions) (Amendment) Act, 1999
• Intoxicating Liquor Act, 1999
• Equal Status Act, 2000
• Human Rights Commission Act, 2000
• Criminal Justice (United Nations Convention Against Torture) Act, 2000
• Courts (Supplemental Provisions) (Amendment) Act, 2000
• Intoxicating Liquor Act, 2000
• Firearms (Firearm Certificates for Non-Residents) Act
• Illegal Immigrants (Trafficking) Act, 2000
• Protection of Children (Hague Convention) Act , 2000
• Twenty-first Amendment of the Constitution Act, 2001
• Twenty-third Amendment of the Constitution Act, 2001
• Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act , 2001
• Sex Offenders Act, 2001
• Children Act , 2001
• Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2001
• Human Rights Commission (Amendment) Act, 2001
• Extradition (European Union Conventions) Act, 2001
• Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act, 2001
• Tribunals of Inquiry (Evidence) (Amendment) Act, 2002
• Courts and Court Officers Act, 2002
• Solicitors (Amendment) Act, 2002

Minister for Arts, Sport & Tourism

• National Tourism Development Authority Act 2003
• Arts Act 2003
• National Sports Campus Development Authority Act 2006