DERMOT AHERN was first elected as a TD for Louth in 1987 and has been a senior member of the cabinet since 1997.
Mr Ahern (55), a solicitor by profession, lives in Blackrock, Co Louth, and is married with two children.
He was appointed minister of state at the Department of Defence by Charles Haughey in 1991 after the failed heave launched by Albert Reynolds.
When Mr Reynolds took over the leadership three months later Mr Ahern was dropped in a purge of ministers. He returned to the frontbench when the party went into opposition after the departure of Mr Reynolds in November 1994 and the accession of Bertie Ahern to the leadership.
When Fianna Fáil returned to power in 1997 Mr Ahern took over the social welfare portfolio.
As minister for social, community and family affairs he presided over the largest increases in pension and social welfare payments in the history of the State. He introduced a scheme giving pension rights to people who had emigrated prior to 1953.
He was appointed minister for communications, marine and natural resources in 2002. He worked on the establishment of an all-island energy market and the reform of public service broadcasting.
As minister for foreign affairs from 2004 to 2008 he was involved in the Northern talks process.
Minister for Justice since 2008, he has sponsored substantial anti-gangland legislation. He has also brought in the Civil Partnership Bill.
