Profile

Minister Martin – Political Profile

Ministerial Career

Mr Micheál Martin, TD, was appointed Minister for Foreign Affairs in May 2008 and held the post until January 2011. Prior to this appointment, Minister Martin served as Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment from September 2004 to May 2008, Minister for Health from January 2000 to September 2004 and Minister for Education and Science from June 1997 to January 2000.

• Minister For Foreign Affairs
• Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment
• Minister for Health
• Minister for Education and Science

Political Career

Minister Martin was first elected to Dáil Éireann for the constituency of Cork South Central in 1989. He is a former Chairman of the Oireachtas All Party Committee on the Irish Language (and he is a fluent speaker of the language); a former member of the Dáil Committee on Crime and a former member of the Dáil Committee on Finance and General Affairs. He was opposition spokesperson for Education and the Gaeltacht from 1995 to 1997. The Minister was first elected to Cork Corporation in 1985 and elected an Alderman in 1991. He was Lord Mayor of Cork for 1992-93.

Prior to his appointment as a Cabinet Minister, Minister Martin was a member of a wide range of educational, community and local committees including the Cork Vocational Educational Committee and the Governing body of University College Cork. Micheál was elected leader of Fianna Fáil in January 2011.

The Minister has previously been the National Chairman of Ógra Fianna Fáil and was also a member of the Aims and Structures Commission within the Party.