13 Facts About Fergus O'Dowd

Fergus O'Dowd was born on 1 September 1948 and is an Irish former Fine Gael politician who served as a Teachta Dala for the Louth constituency from 2002 to 2024.

Fergus O'Dowd was appointed Chair of the Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement in September 2020.

Fergus O'Dowd previously served as Chair of the Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport from 2017 to 2020 and as a Minister of State from 2011 to 2014.

Fergus O'Dowd was educated by the Christian Brothers in Drogheda, County Louth.

Fergus O'Dowd was first elected to Drogheda Borough Council in 1974 as a member of the Labour Party, and was elected to Louth County Council in 1979, serving on the county council until 2003.

Fergus O'Dowd contested the 1977 general election as a Labour Party candidate, but was not elected.

In 1982, O'Dowd left the Labour Party and joined Fine Gael.

Fergus O'Dowd was first elected to Dail Eireann at the 2002 general election.

Fergus O'Dowd was immediately appointed Fine Gael spokesperson for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs and resigned his Council seat in 2003 in accordance with the Dual Mandate.

Fergus O'Dowd served as party spokesperson on Environment, Heritage and Local Government from 2004 to 2007, and on Transport and Marine from 2007 to 2010.

Fergus O'Dowd was dropped as a Minister of State in a reshuffle in July 2014.

On 27 November 2023, Fergus O'Dowd announced that he would not contest the next general election.

Fergus O'Dowd is a brother of Niall O'Dowd, publisher of the Irish Voice newspaper in New York City.