John Browne (born 1 August 1948) is an Irish former

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. He was 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

Wexford Wexford ( ; archaic Yola dialect, Yola: ''Weiseforthe'') is the county town of County Wexford, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Wexford lies on the south side of Wexford Harbour, the estuary of the River Slaney near the southeastern corner of the ...

constituency from 1982 to 2016. He is a former

Minister of State Minister of state is a designation for a government minister, with varying meanings in different jurisdictions. In a number of European countries, the title is given as an honorific conferring a higher rank, often bestowed upon senior minister ...

, serving in various roles from 1992 to 1994, and 2002 to 2008.

Early and private life

John Browne was born in Marshalstown,

County Wexford County Wexford () is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster and is part of the Southern Region, Ireland, Southern Region. Named after the town of Wexford, it was ba ...

in 1948. He was educated locally at St Mary's Christian Brothers School in

Enniscorthy Enniscorthy () is the second-largest town in County Wexford, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. The town is located on the picturesque River Slaney and in close proximity to the Blackstairs Mountains and Ireland's longest beach, Curracloe. The Plac ...

. Browne worked as a salesman and an oil truck driver before becoming involved in politics and also played

hurling Hurling (, ') is an outdoor Team sport, team game of ancient Gaelic culture, Gaelic Irish origin, played by men and women. One of Ireland's native Gaelic games, it shares a number of features with Gaelic football, such as the field and goa ...

for the Wexford county team. Browne is married to Judy and they have three children, a fourth child now deceased. His uncle

Seán Browne Seán Browne (3 May 1916 – 27 March 1996) was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician. He was a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Wexford constituency – first elected in 1957. Early and personal life Browne was a prominent member of the GAA. He serve ...

, was also a TD, who was first elected in 1957. He retired due to ill health. John Browne topped the poll in the constituency of Wexford on a number of occasions.

Political career

Browne first held political office in 1979 when he was elected to Enniscorthy Urban District Council and to

Wexford County Council Wexford County Council () is the local authority of County Wexford, Ireland. As a county council, it is governed by the Local Government Act 2001. The council is responsible for housing and community, roads and transportation, urban planning an ...

. Browne 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 November 1982 general election for the constituency of

and has been re-elected at every election since. Over his career Browne has held a number of government and opposition positions. Not long after his election he was appointed assistant

Chief Whip The Chief Whip is a political leader whose task is to enforce the whipping system, which aims to ensure that legislators who are members of a political party attend and vote on legislation as the party leadership prescribes. United Kingdom I ...

. When

returned to office in 1987 he remained on the backbenches. When

Albert Reynolds Albert Martin Reynolds (3 November 1932 – 21 August 2014) was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician who served as Taoiseach and Leader of Fianna Fáil from 1992 to 1994. He held various cabinet positions between 1979 and 1991, including Ministe ...

became

Taoiseach The Taoiseach (, ) is the head of government or prime minister of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. The office is appointed by the President of Ireland upon nomination by Dáil Éireann (the lower house of the Oireachtas, Ireland's national legisl ...

in 1992, he appointed Browne as Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture and Food with special responsibility for the Food Industry. When a new government was formed in January 1993, he was appointed as Minister of State at the Environment with special responsibility for Environmental Protection, serving in that position until 1994. In 1997,

returned to office, but Browne remained on the backbenches; during the campaign, party leader

Bertie Ahern Bartholomew Patrick "Bertie" Ahern (born 12 September 1951) is an Irish former Fianna Fáil politician who served as Taoiseach from 1997 to 2008, and as Leader of Fianna Fáil from 1994 to 2008. A Teachta Dála (TD) from 1977 to 2011, he served ...

had issued a rebuke to Browne for his opposition to entering government with the

Progressive Democrats The Progressive Democrats (, literally "The Democratic Party"), commonly referred to as the PDs, were a conservative liberal political party in Ireland. The party's history spanned 24 years, from its formation in 1985 to its dissolution in 20 ...

. In 2002 he was appointed as Minister of State at the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources with special responsibility for the Marine. In a 2004 reshuffle, Ahern appointed Browne as Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture and Food, with special responsibility for Forestry. In a junior ministerial reshuffle in February 2006, Browne was appointed again as Minister of State at the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources with special responsibility for the Marine. Browne has also served as chair of a number of

Oireachtas The Oireachtas ( ; ), sometimes referred to as Oireachtas Éireann, is the Bicameralism, bicameral parliament of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. The Oireachtas consists of the president of Ireland and the two houses of the Oireachtas (): a house ...

Committees, including, Agriculture, Marine, Social Affairs, and Finance. After the 2007 general election, he was appointed as Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food with special responsibility for Fisheries, serving in a similar role after a transfer of ministerial functions. On 13 May 2008, after

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 ...

became

, Browne was not appointed to any ministerial position. Browne was involved in controversy in November 2011 when it emerged that the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform incorrectly paid him a pension from his time as a junior minister at the Department of Agriculture worth €7,396.31 despite still being a sitting TD. The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform apologised to the TD for the embarrassment caused to him. Browne retired at the 2016 general election. His son James Browne was elected at that election, and in 2020, was appointed as a Minister of State.

References

External links

John Browne's page on the Fianna Fáil website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Browne, John 1948 births Living people Fianna Fáil TDs Irish sportsperson-politicians Members of Wexford County Council Members of the 24th Dáil Members of the 25th Dáil Members of the 26th Dáil Members of the 27th Dáil Members of the 28th Dáil Members of the 29th Dáil Members of the 30th Dáil Members of the 31st Dáil Ministers of State of the 26th Dáil Ministers of State of the 27th Dáil Ministers of State of the 29th Dáil Ministers of State of the 30th Dáil People from Enniscorthy Wexford inter-county hurlers 20th-century Irish sportsmen