1. Jim O'Callaghan was born on 5 January 1968 and is an Irish Fianna Fail politician who has served as Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration since January 2025.
18 Facts About Jim O'Callaghan
1. 2.
Jim O'Callaghan has been a Teachta Dala for the Dublin Bay South constituency since the 2016 general election.
3.
Jim O'Callaghan served as a legal adviser to Fianna Fail from January 2011 to his election to the Dail.
4.
Jim O'Callaghan was a member of Dublin City Council from 2009 to 2016.
5.
Jim O'Callaghan unsuccessfully ran as a candidate for Fianna Fail in the 2007 general election in Dublin South-East.
6.
Jim O'Callaghan was a member of the Fianna Fail negotiating team in talks on government formation in 2016.
7.
Early on 9 April 2016, Jim O'Callaghan's home hosted a covert meeting between Jim O'Callaghan, Leo Varadkar, Deirdre Gillane and Andrew McDowell.
8.
Jim O'Callaghan drafted and secured cross-party support for his Parole Bill which was passed by the Oireachtas and became an Act.
9.
Jim O'Callaghan introduced a Judicial Appointments Commission Bill on 18 October 2016 that sought to amend the process by which judges were appointed.
10.
At the 2020 general election, Jim O'Callaghan was re-elected as a TD for the Dublin Bay South constituency.
11.
In July 2020 Jim O'Callaghan declined the position of Minister of State at the Department of Justice in the 32nd Government of Ireland offered to him by Taoiseach Micheal Martin, stating that he wished to remain on the backbenches, providing a voice in Fianna Fail outside of government, while making the party more attractive to younger voters.
12.
In September 2020 Jim O'Callaghan told RTE Radio he was interested in becoming the leader of Fianna Fail following Martin.
13.
Jim O'Callaghan was appointed as the party's spokesman on justice matters by Martin on 17 December 2020.
14.
Jim O'Callaghan was the Fianna Fail Director of Elections for the 2021 Dublin Bay South by-election in which the party's candidate came in fifth position.
15.
At the 2024 general election, Jim O'Callaghan was re-elected to the Dail.
16.
Jim O'Callaghan played rugby at a senior level, representing UCD, Cambridge University, London Irish, Wanderers, Leinster and Connacht.
17.
Jim O'Callaghan is a frequent cyclist, regularly cycling to Leinster House and advocates for the expansion of cycling infrastructure in Dublin.
18.
Jim O'Callaghan has four sisters, one of whom is the Irish broadcaster Miriam O'Callaghan.