Kieran O'Donnell (born 8 May 1963) is an Irish

Fine Gael Fine Gael (, ; English: "Family (or Tribe) of the Irish") is a liberal-conservative and Christian-democratic political party in Ireland. Fine Gael is currently the third-largest party in the Republic of Ireland in terms of members of Dáil � ...

politician who has served as a

Minister of State Minister of State is a title borne by politicians in certain countries governed under a parliamentary system. In some countries a Minister of State is a Junior Minister of government, who is assigned to assist a specific Cabinet Minister. In ...

since December 2022. He has been a

Teachta Dála A Teachta Dála ( , ; plural ), abbreviated as TD (plural ''TDanna'' in Irish, TDs in English), is a member of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas (the Irish Parliament). It is the equivalent of terms such as ''Member of Parli ...

(TD) for the

Limerick City Limerick ( ; ga, Luimneach ) is a western city in Ireland situated within County Limerick. It is in the province of Munster and is located in the Mid-West which comprises part of the Southern Region. With a population of 94,192 at the 2016 ...

constituency since the 2020 general election, and previously from 2011 to 2016 and from 2007 to 2011 for the

Limerick East Limerick ( ; ga, Luimneach ) is a western city in Ireland situated within County Limerick. It is in the province of Munster and is located in the Mid-West which comprises part of the Southern Region, Ireland, Southern Region. With a populati ...

constituency. He was appointed Chair of the Committee on Transport and Communications Networks in September 2020. He was a Senator for the

Cultural and Educational Panel The Cultural and Educational Panel () is one of five vocational panels which together elect 43 of the 60 members of Seanad Éireann, the upper house of the Oireachtas (the legislature of Ireland). The Cultural and Educational Panel elects five ...

from 2016 to 2020. Before becoming a full-time public representative, O'Donnell worked as an accountant. He is a nephew of

Tom O'Donnell Thomas G. O'Donnell (30 August 1926 – 8 October 2020) was an Irish Fine Gael politician who served as Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Minister for the Gaeltacht from 1973 to 1977. He served as a Teachta Dá ...

, a former Minister and TD for

. O'Donnell was an unsuccessful candidate at the 2002 Seanad election. He was elected on his first attempt to

Limerick County Council Limerick County Council ( ga, Comhairle Contae Luimnigh) was the authority responsible for local government in County Limerick, Ireland. As a county council, it was governed by the Local Government Act 2001. The council had 28 elected members. ...

for the

Castleconnell Castleconnell (, historically ''Caisleán Uí Chonaing'') is a village in County Limerick on the banks of the River Shannon. It is from Limerick city and near the boundaries of counties Clare and Tipperary. History The ruins of the ' Castle ...

local electoral area in 2004. He was first elected to Dáil Éireann at the 2007 general election. In October 2007, O'Donnell was appointed party Deputy Spokesperson on Finance, with special responsibility for

Freedom of Information Freedom of information is freedom of a person or people to publish and consume information. Access to information is the ability for an individual to seek, receive and impart information effectively. This sometimes includes "scientific, Indigeno ...

, Procurement Reform and the

Office of Public Works The Office of Public Works (OPW) ( ga, Oifig na nOibreacha Poiblí) (legally the Commissioners of Public Works in Ireland) is a major Irish Government agency, which manages most of the Irish State's property portfolio, including hundreds of o ...

. As Deputy Spokesperson, O'Donnell was given the full Finance portfolio on an acting basis by

Enda Kenny Enda Kenny (born 24 April 1951) is an Irish former Fine Gael politician who served as Taoiseach from 2011 to 2017, Leader of Fine Gael from 2002 to 2017, Minister for Defence from May to July 2014 and 2016 to 2017, Leader of the Opposition from ...

on 14 June 2010, when Kenny sacked

Richard Bruton Richard Bruton (born 15 March 1953) is an Irish Fine Gael politician who has served as a Teachta Dála (TD) for Dublin Bay North since 2016, and previously from 1982 to 2016 for the Dublin North-Central constituency. He is the Chairman of th ...

. O'Donnell subsequently supported Richard Bruton's leadership challenge to Enda Kenny. Following Kenny's victory in a motion of confidence, O'Donnell was not appointed to the front bench. In October 2010, he was appointed as party Deputy Spokesperson on Enterprise, Trade and Innovation, with special responsibility for Enterprise and Employment. He lost his Dáil seat at the 2016 general election. He was subsequently elected to the Seanad for the

, where he served as the Fine Gael Seanad Spokesperson on Finance. He regained his Dáil seat following the 2020 general election. In December 2022, he was appointed as

Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage The Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage is a junior ministerial post in the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage of the Government of Ireland who may perform functions delegated by the Min ...

with special responsibility for Local Government and Planning following the appointment of Leo Varadkar as Taoiseach.

References

External links

*
Kieran O'Donnell's page on the Fine Gael website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Odonnell, Kieran 1963 births Living people Alumni of the University of Limerick Fine Gael TDs Local councillors in County Limerick Members of the 25th Seanad Members of the 30th Dáil Members of the 31st Dáil Members of the 33rd Dáil People educated at St Munchin's College Fine Gael senators Ministers of State of the 33rd Dáil

See also

References

External links