Mary Coughlan (politician)
| Mary Coughlan | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Tánaiste | |
|
In office 7 May 2008 – 9 March 2011 |
|
| Taoiseach | Brian Cowen |
| Preceded by | Brian Cowen |
| Succeeded by | Eamon Gilmore |
| Deputy Leader of Fianna Fáil | |
|
In office 7 May 2008 – 9 March 2011 |
|
| Leader | Brian Cowen |
| Preceded by | Brian Cowen |
| Succeeded by | Mary Hanafin |
| Minister for Health and Children | |
|
In office 20 January 2011 – 9 March 2011 |
|
| Taoiseach | Brian Cowen |
| Preceded by | Mary Harney |
| Succeeded by |
James Reilly (Health) Frances Fitzgerald (Children) |
| Minister for Education and Skills | |
|
In office 23 March 2010 – 9 March 2011 |
|
| Taoiseach | Brian Cowen |
| Preceded by | Batt O'Keeffe (Education and Science) |
| Succeeded by | Ruairi Quinn |
| Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment | |
|
In office 7 May 2008 – 23 March 2010 |
|
| Taoiseach | Brian Cowen |
| Preceded by | Micheál Martin |
| Succeeded by | Batt O'Keeffe (Enterprise, Trade and Innovation) |
| Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food | |
|
In office 29 September 2004 – 7 May 2008 |
|
| Taoiseach | Bertie Ahern |
| Preceded by | Joe Walsh (Agriculture and Food) |
| Succeeded by | Brendan Smith |
| Minister for Social and Family Affairs | |
|
In office 17 June 2002 – 29 September 2004 |
|
| Taoiseach | Bertie Ahern |
| Preceded by | Dermot Ahern (Social, Community and Family Affairs) |
| Succeeded by | Séamus Brennan |
| Minister of State for the Gaeltacht and the Islands | |
|
In office 19 February 2001 – 17 June 2002 |
|
| Taoiseach | Bertie Ahern |
| Preceded by | Éamon Ó Cuív |
| Succeeded by | Position abolished |
| Teachta Dála | |
|
In office February 1987 – February 2011 |
|
| Constituency | Donegal South-West |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
28 May 1965 Donegal Town, Donegal, Ireland |
| Nationality | Irish |
| Political party | Fianna Fáil |
| Spouse(s) | David Charlton (d. 2012) |
| Children | 2 |
| Alma mater | University College Dublin |
| Religion | Roman Catholicism |
Mary Coughlan (born 28 May 1965) is an Irish former Fianna Fáil politician who served as a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Donegal South-West constituency from 1987 to 2011, latterly attaining the office of Tánaiste (Deputy prime minister) of Ireland. During her career in government, she held the Cabinet positions of Tánaiste (2008–11), Minister for Health and Children (2011), Minister for Education and Skills (2010–11), Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment (2008–10), Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food (2004–08) and Minister for Social and Family Affairs (2002–04). She lost her Dáil seat in the 2011 general election.
Coughlan was born in Donegal town in the south of County Donegal in 1965. Her father was Cathal Coughlan, a Fianna Fáil TD, who died in office in June 1986. She was educated at the Ursuline Convent in Sligo – where she was a boarder from 1978 to 1983 – and at University College Dublin, graduating with a Social Science degree. She worked as a social worker for a brief period before becoming involved in politics.
Coming from a political family, Coughlan was always interested in politics, and joined a local party branch at the age of 16. Coughlan was first elected to Dáil Éireann as a Fianna Fáil TD for the Donegal South-West constituency. At the age of 21 years and nine months, Coughlan was the youngest member of the 25th Dáil. Her uncle Clement Coughlan was a TD from 1980 until his death in 1983 in a road traffic accident, while her father Cathal Coughlan was a TD from 1983 to 1986 when he died after a short illness. The death of her father resulted in Coughlan being co-opted onto Donegal County Council in 1986 and launching her own political career.
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