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

Fine Gael Fine Gael ( ; ; ) is a centre-right, liberal-conservative, 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 Éireann. The party had a member ...

politician who has served as a

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 ...

since December 2022. 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

Limerick City Limerick ( ; ) is a city in western Ireland, in County Limerick. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster and is in the Mid-West Region, Ireland, Mid-West which comprises part of the Southern Region, Ireland, Southern Region. W ...

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

Limerick East Limerick ( ; ) is a city in western Ireland, in County Limerick. It is in the province of Munster and is in the Mid-West which comprises part of the Southern Region. With a population of 102,287 at the 2022 census, Limerick is the third-m ...

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

Cultural and Educational Panel Culture ( ) is a concept that encompasses the social behavior, institutions, and norms found in human societies, as well as the knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws, customs, capabilities, attitudes, and habits of the individuals in these gr ...

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

accountant An accountant is a practitioner of accounting or accountancy. Accountants who have demonstrated competency through their professional associations' certification exams are certified to use titles such as Chartered Accountant, Chartered Certif ...

. He is a nephew of Tom O'Donnell, 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 () was the Local government in the Republic of Ireland, local authority of County Limerick, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. As a county council, it was governed by the Local Government Act 2001. The council had 28 elected ...

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 County Clare and County Tipperary. History The ruins of the Cas ...

local electoral area in 2004. He 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. In October 2007, O'Donnell was appointed party Deputy Spokesperson on Finance, with special responsibility for Freedom of Information, Procurement Reform and the

Office of Public Works The Office of Public Works (OPW) (; legally the Commissioners of Public Works in Ireland) is a major Government of Ireland, Irish Government agency, which manages most of the Irish State's property portfolio, including hundreds of owned and ren ...

. 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 (Ireland), Minister for Defence from May to July 2014 and 2016 to 201 ...

on 14 June 2010, when Kenny sacked

Richard Bruton Richard Bruton (born 15 March 1953) is an Irish former Fine Gael politician who served as a Teachta Dála (TD) for Dublin Bay North from 2016 to 2024, and previously from 1982 to 2016 for the Dublin North-Central constituency. He was the Cha ...

. 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

25th Seanad The 25th Seanad was in office from 2016 to 2020. An election to Seanad Éireann, the senate of the Oireachtas (Irish parliament), followed the 2016 general election to the 32nd Dáil on 26 February. There are 60 seats in the Seanad: 43 were el ...

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, O'Donnell 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 M ...

with special responsibility for Local Government and Planning following the appointment of

Leo Varadkar Leo Eric Varadkar ( ; born 18 January 1979) is an Irish former Fine Gael politician who served as Taoiseach from 2017 to 2020 and from 2022 to 2024, as Tánaiste from 2020 to 2022, and as leader of Fine Gael from 2017 to 2024. A Teachta Dála, ...

as Taoiseach. On 10 April 2024, O'Donnell was appointed as

Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform The Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation is a junior ministerial post in the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation ...

following the appointment of

Simon Harris Simon Harris (born 17 October 1986) is an Irish Fine Gael politician serving as Tánaiste, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade and Minister for Defence since January 2025, having previously served as Taoiseach from 2024 to 2025. He has ...

as Taoiseach. On 29 January 2025, he was appointed as

Minister of State at the Department of Health The Minister of State at the Department of Health is a junior ministerial post in the Department of Health of the Government of Ireland who may perform functions delegated by the Minister for Health. A Minister of State does not hold cabinet ran ...

with special responsibility for Older People and

with responsibility for Housing.

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 Members of Limerick County Council 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 Cultural and Educational Panel senators Fine Gael local councillors Members of the 34th Dáil Ministers of State of the 34th Dáil

See also

References

External links