16 Facts About Martin O'Donoghue

Martin O'Donoghue was an Irish Fianna Fail politician who served as Minister for Education from March 1982 to October 1982 and Minister for Economic Planning and Development from 1977 to 1979.

Martin O'Donoghue served as a Senator for the Labour Panel from 1983 to 1987.

Martin O'Donoghue served as a Teachta Dala for the Dun Laoghaire constituency from 1977 to 1982.

Martin O'Donoghue was one of a few TDs to be appointed a Minister on their first day in the Dail.

Martin O'Donoghue was educated in Crumlin and worked as a waiter in Dublin, becoming a mature student at Trinity College Dublin and being awarded a Ph.

Martin O'Donoghue was elected a Fellow of Trinity College Dublin in 1969 and promoted to associate professor of Economics there in 1970.

Between 1970 and 1973, O'Donoghue was economic adviser to the Taoiseach Jack Lynch.

At the 1977 general election Martin O'Donoghue was elected to Dail Eireann as a Fianna Fail TD for the Dun Laoghaire constituency.

Martin O'Donoghue was chief author of the election manifesto which saw Fianna Fail achieve an unprecedented twenty-seat majority.

Martin O'Donoghue was appointed Minister for Economic Planning and Development on his first day in office as a TD, a new cabinet portfolio.

In December 1979, Charles Haughey became Taoiseach and Martin O'Donoghue was dropped from cabinet, with the functions of his former department merged into the Department of Finance.

In March 1982, Martin O'Donoghue returned to cabinet as Minister for Education.

At the November 1982 general election Martin O'Donoghue lost his seat.

Martin O'Donoghue resigned from the Fianna Fail parliamentary party in February 1983 after leaked phone calls emerged of him being critical of Haughey while he was a cabinet minister.

Martin O'Donoghue later left Fianna Fail, becoming a supporter of the Progressive Democrats, a party founded by Des O'Malley.

Martin O'Donoghue was a Fellow of Trinity College Dublin and served on the board of the O'Reilly Foundation.