Ruairi Quinn
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Image:RuairiQuinn.gifRuairi Quinn (born April 2, 1946) is an Irish Labour politician. He is currently a Teachta Dála (TD) for Dublin South East and was leader of the Labour Party from 1997 to 2002.
Ruairi Quinn was born on 2 April 1946. He was educated at Blackrock College, University College Dublin and the School of Ekistics in Athens. He became an architect with Dublin Corporation in 1971. He was a partner in an architecture firm from 1973 to 1982. In 1976 he was appointed to Seanad Éireann. He was first elected a Labour TD for Dublin South East at the 1977 General Election. He lost his seat at the 1981 General Election and served in Seanad Éireann again. He was re-elected as TD in Feb 1982 General Election and has retained his seat since.
In 1982 he became Minister of State at the Department of the Environment. Between 1983 and 1986 he served as Minister for Labour. From 1986-1987 he was appointed Minister for the Public Service. In 1989 he became deputy leader of the Labour Party. He was director of elections for Mary Robinson's successful Presidential election campaign. In the Fianna Fáil-Labour coalition government of 1993/1994 Quinn became Minister for Enterprise and Employment. The following year he became Minister for Finance in the Fine Gael-Labour coalition government.
In 1997 Dick Spring retired as leader of the Labour Party. Ruairi Quinn became the new leader. In 1999 the Labour Party and Democratic Left merged. Proinsias De Rossa of the latter party became president, while Quinn remained as leader of the party. In 2002 Quinn retired as Labour leader, being replaced by Pat Rabbitte. He is still a TD, and leads the European Movement Ireland, a civil society organisation campaigning on European issues in Ireland. Quinn is also Vice-President and Treasurer of the Party of European Socialists, and Labour Party Spokesperson on Enterprise, Trade & Employment.
In 2005, his political autobiography, "Straight Left", was published.
Political career
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