1. Charles Flanagan was born on 1 November 1956 and is an Irish former Fine Gael politician who served as Minister for Justice and Equality from 2017 to 2020, Chair of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence from 2020 to 2024, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade from 2014 to 2017, Minister for Children and Youth Affairs from May to July 2014 and Chair of the Fine Gael parliamentary party from 2011 to 2014.
Charles Flanagan's father was Oliver J Flanagan, an Irish Fine Gael politician who served as Minister for Defence from 1976 to 1977.
Charles Flanagan attended Knockbeg College at a secondary level and studied at University College Dublin and the Law Society of Ireland, where he qualified as a solicitor.
Charles Flanagan served until the abolition of the dual mandate in 2004.
Charles Flanagan retained his seat at each election until losing it at the 2002 general election but regained it at the 2007 general election.
Charles Flanagan was party Spokesperson on Justice, Equality and Law Reform from 2007 to 2010, and was the party Spokesperson on Children from 2010 to 2011.
Charles Flanagan was Chair of the Fine Gael parliamentary party from June 2011 to May 2014.
On 7 May 2014, following the resignation of Alan Shatter as Minister for Justice and Minister for Defence, Charles Flanagan was appointed the following day as Minister for Children and Youth Affairs to succeed Frances Fitzgerald, who assumed the Justice portfolio.
On 11 July 2014, Charles Flanagan was appointed as Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, succeeding the former Labour leader Eamon Gilmore.
Charles Flanagan supported Leo Varadkar in the 2017 Fine Gael leadership election, and upon Varadkar's appointment as Taoiseach on 14 June 2017, Flanagan was appointed as Minister for Justice and Equality.
Charles Flanagan was replaced as Minister for Justice by Helen McEntee on the formation of a new government with Micheal Martin as Taoiseach on 27 June 2020.
The backlash forced Charles Flanagan to defer the commemoration, but he committed to holding another in future.
Charles Flanagan supported a memorial wall in Glasnevin Cemetery that drew controversy for commemorating British soldiers alongside Irish revolutionaries.
Charles Flanagan condemned the decision to take down the wall as a "victory for bullies".
Charles Flanagan has defended his wearing of the remembrance poppy, a historically controversial emblem in Ireland, calling it an "international symbol of remembrance".
In 2009, Charles Flanagan expressed support for legalising adoption for same-sex couples, describing it as a "glaring omission" from a bill signed by Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern.
Charles Flanagan supported the legalisation of gay marriage in Ireland's 2015 referendum, praising "a new and modern Ireland" and "a great day for tolerance, inclusion [and] pluralism".
Charles Flanagan campaigned in favour of a Yes vote in the 2018 Irish abortion referendum.
In 2018, Charles Flanagan delivered an apology in the Seanad on behalf of the state, to those who suffered as a result of homosexuality being criminalised.
In 2019, as Minister for Justice, Charles Flanagan signed an exclusion order banning anti-gay preacher Steven Anderson from entering Ireland.
Charles Flanagan has criticised the Irish press for their coverage of Israel, accusing them of "demonisation" and "slavishly dancing to the Palestinian drumbeat for decades".