Darragh O'Brien (born 8 July 1974) is an Irish

Fianna Fáil Fianna Fáil ( ; ; meaning "Soldiers of Destiny" or "Warriors of Fál"), officially Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party (), is a centre to centre-right political party in Ireland. Founded as a republican party in 1926 by Éamon de ...

politician who has served as

Minister for Transport A ministry of transport or transportation is a ministry responsible for transportation within a country. It usually is administered by the ''minister for transport''. The term is also sometimes applied to the departments or other government a ...

and Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment since January 2025. He has been a

Teachta Dála A Teachta Dála ( ; ; plural ), abbreviated as TD (plural ''TDanna'' in Irish language, Irish, TDs in English), is a member of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas, the parliament of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. The official Engli ...

(TD) for the Dublin Fingal East constituency since the 2024 general election. He represented the Dublin Fingal constituency from 2016 to 2024, and the Dublin North constituency from 2007 to 2011. He previously served as

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage () is a senior minister in the Government of Ireland and leads the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage is James ...

from 2020 to 2025 and a

Senator A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or Legislative chamber, chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the Ancient Rome, ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior ...

for the

Labour Panel The Labour Panel is one of five vocational panels which together elect 43 of the 60 members of Seanad Éireann, the senate of the Oireachtas (the legislature of Ireland). The Labour Panel elects eleven senators. Election Article 18 of the Const ...

from 2011 to 2016.

Personal life

He was born and raised in

Malahide Malahide ( ; ) is an affluent coastal settlement in Fingal, County Dublin, Republic of Ireland, Ireland, situated north of Dublin city. It has a village centre surrounded by suburban housing estates, with a population of 18,608 as per the 2022 ...

County Dublin County Dublin ( or ) is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland, and holds its capital city, Dublin. It is located on the island's east coast, within the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster. Until 1994, County Dubli ...

, where he is an active member of St. Sylvesters GAA club, Malahide United F.C. and Malahide Rugby Club. As a child, O'Brien attended Pope John Paul II National Catholic School and then Malahide Community School (Pobalscoil Íosa). He is one of six children. His brother Eoghan O'Brien is a

Fingal County Council Fingal County Council () is the local authority of the county of Fingal, Ireland. It is one of three local authorities that succeeded the former Dublin County Council on abolition on 1 January 1994 and is one of four local authorities in County ...

lor, representing the

Howth Howth ( ; ; ) is a peninsular village and outer suburb of Dublin, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. The district as a whole occupies the greater part of the peninsula of Howth Head, which forms the northern boundary of Dublin Bay, and includes the ...

local electoral area. Before entering politics, he worked in the Pensions sector with Friends First Assurance Company. He lives in Malahide with his wife and daughter.

Political career

He was co-opted to a seat on

in March 2004. He was then elected to Fingal County Council on his own right at the 2004 local elections. O'Brien was first elected to

Dáil Éireann Dáil Éireann ( ; , ) is the lower house and principal chamber of the Oireachtas, which also includes the president of Ireland and a senate called Seanad Éireann.Article 15.1.2° of the Constitution of Ireland reads: "The Oireachtas shall co ...

at the 2007 general election. He was vice-chair of Public Accounts committee, Convenor on Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs during the

30th Dáil The 30th Dáil was elected at the 2007 Irish general election, 2007 general election on 24 May 2007 and met on 14 June 2007. The members of Dáil Éireann, the house of representatives of the Oireachtas (legislature) of Republic of Ireland, Ire ...

. He was also a member of Select Committee on Justice, Equality, Defence and Women's Rights. O'Brien was appointed to the Fianna Fáil frontbench as Spokesperson for Sport in January 2011. He lost his seat in the 2011 general election. He was

nominated by the Taoiseach A candidate, or nominee, is a prospective recipient of an award or honor, or a person seeking or being considered for some kind of position. For example, one can be a candidate for membership in a group or election to an office, in which case a ...

Brian Cowen Brian Bernard Cowen (born 10 January 1960) is an Irish former politician who served as Taoiseach and Leader of Fianna Fáil from 2008 to 2011. Cowen served as a TD for the constituency of Laois–Offaly from 1984 to 2011 and served in several ...

to the

23rd Seanad The 23rd Seanad was in office from 2007 to 2011. An election to Seanad Éireann, the senate of the Oireachtas (Irish parliament) took place in July 2007, following the 2007 general election to the 30th Dáil on 24 May. There are 60 seats in th ...

on 4 March 2011 to fill a vacancy. He was elected to the

24th Seanad The 24th Seanad was in office from 2011 to 2016. An election to Seanad Éireann, the senate of the Oireachtas (Irish parliament), followed the 2011 general election to the 31st Dáil on 25 February. There are 60 seats in the Seanad: 43 were el ...

on the

in April 2011. He was the Fianna Fáil Seanad leader and spokesperson on Finance from 2011 to 2016. He returned to the Dáil at the 2016 general election, winning a seat in the new constituency of Dublin Fingal. He was the Fianna Fáil spokesperson on Housing, Planning and Local Government until his appointment as Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage in June 2020. O'Brien was re-elected at the 2020 general election. As part of the

coalition government A coalition government, or coalition cabinet, is a government by political parties that enter into a power-sharing arrangement of the executive. Coalition governments usually occur when no single party has achieved an absolute majority after an ...

, O'Brien was appointed

by Taoiseach

Micheál Martin Micheál Martin (; born 16 August 1960) is an Irish Fianna Fáil politician serving as Taoiseach since January 2025, having previously held the position from 2020 to 2022. Martin served as Tánaiste, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Min ...

on 27 June 2020. In his time as Minister for Housing, O'Brien presided over what has been described as "the worst housing crisis in over 40 years" by Fr. Peter McVerry of the Peter McVerry Trust, a national housing and homeless charity committed to reducing homelessness and the harm caused by substance misuse and social disadvantage. On 13 December 2022, he survived a

motion of no confidence A motion or vote of no confidence (or the inverse, a motion or vote of confidence) is a motion and corresponding vote thereon in a deliberative assembly (usually a legislative body) as to whether an officer (typically an executive) is deemed fi ...

in the Dáil by a vote of 86 to 63, with one abstention. On 17 December 2022, he was re-appointed to the same position following Leo Varadkar's appointment as Taoiseach. In June 2023, O'Brien was appointed as Fianna Fáil's director of European elections for the 2024 European Parliament elections. At the 2024 general election, O'Brien was re-elected to the Dáil for Dublin Fingal East. On 23 January 2025, he was appointed as Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment and

in the

government A government is the system or group of people governing an organized community, generally a State (polity), state. In the case of its broad associative definition, government normally consists of legislature, executive (government), execu ...

led by

References

External links

*
Darragh O'Brien's page on the Fianna Fáil website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Obrien, Darragh 1974 births Living people Fianna Fáil TDs Members of Fingal County Council Members of the 23rd Seanad Members of the 24th Seanad Members of the 30th Dáil Members of the 32nd Dáil Members of the 33rd Dáil Nominated members of Seanad Éireann Fianna Fáil senators People from Malahide Alumni of Institute of Technology, Carlow Labour Panel senators Fianna Fáil local councillors Members of the 34th Dáil Ministers for transport of Ireland Ministers for the environment of Ireland Housing ministers of Ireland