Niamh Bhreathnach
| Niamh Bhreathnach | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Minister for Education | |
|
In office 15 December 1994 – 26 June 1997 |
|
| Taoiseach | John Bruton |
| Preceded by | Michael Smith |
| Succeeded by | Micheál Martin |
|
In office 12 January 1993 – 17 November 1994 |
|
| Taoiseach | Albert Reynolds |
| Preceded by | Séamus Brennan |
| Succeeded by | Michael Smith |
| Teachta Dála | |
|
In office November 1992 – June 1997 |
|
| Constituency | Dún Laoghaire |
| Senator | |
|
In office June 1997 – July 1997 |
|
| Constituency | Nominated by the Taoiseach |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
1 June 1945 Dublin, Ireland |
| Political party | Labour Party |
| Spouse(s) | Tom Ferris |
| Children | 2 |
| Alma mater | Froebel College of Education |
Niamh Bhreathnach (born 1 June 1945) is a former Irish Labour Party politician. She was a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Dún Laoghaire constituency from 1992 until 1997, and served as Minister for Education from 1993 until 1997. She holds the distinction of being one of only six TDs to be appointed Minister on their first day in the Dáil.
Bhreathnach was born in Dublin in 1945, the daughter of Breandán Breathnach, a civil servant and collector of traditional music. She was educated at Dominican College Sion Hill and Froebel College of Education, Dublin, later qualifying as a remedial teacher.
Bhreathnach was chairperson of the Labour Party from 1990 until 1993. She was elected as a Labour Party TD for Dún Laoghaire at the 1992 general election, serving until her defeat at the 1997 general election. In 1993 she became Minister for Education in the Fianna Fáil-Labour Party coalition government. She remained in that post during the "Rainbow Coalition" until 1997. During her time as minister, the first White paper on Education was published, tuition fees for third-level institutions were abolished, and the Regional Technical Colleges were upgraded to Institutes of Technology. She also brought in the legacy posts, teaching positions for disadvantaged schools.
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