Charles Flanagan

For the American football coach, see Charles G. Flanagan. For the Major League Baseball player, see Charlie Flannigan.

Charles Flanagan TD
Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade
Incumbent
Assumed office 11 July 2014
Preceded by	Eamon Gilmore
Minister for Children and Youth Affairs
In office 8 May 2014 – 11 July 2014
Preceded by	Frances Fitzgerald
Succeeded by	James Reilly
Chairman of the Fine Gael parliamentary party
In office 9 March 2011 – 8 May 2014
Preceded by	Pádraic McCormack
Succeeded by	Dan Neville
Teachta Dála
Incumbent
Assumed office 24 May 2007
In office 17 February 1987 – 17 May 2002
Constituency	Laois–Offaly
Personal details
Born	(1956-11-01) 1 November 1956 Mountmellick, County Laois, Ireland
Political party	Fine Gael
Alma mater	University College Dublin

Charles "Charlie" Flanagan (born 1 November 1956) is an Irish Fine Gael politician. He is a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Laois–Offaly constituency. On 11 July 2014, he was appointed as Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Flanagan was first elected to Dáil Éireann at the 1987 general election, succeeding his father Oliver J. Flanagan. He retained his seat at each election until losing it at the 2002 general election, but regained it at the 2007 general election. He was a member of Laois County Council from 1985 until he stepped down in 2004. He was party spokesperson on Justice, Equality and Law Reform from 2007 to 2010, and was the party spokesperson on Children from 2010 to 2011.

He was chairperson of the Fine Gael parliamentary party from June 2011 to May 2014.

Following the resignation on 7 May 2014 of Alan Shatter as Minister for Justice and Minister for Defence, Flanagan was appointed on 8 May as Minister for Children and Youth Affairs to succeed Frances Fitzgerald who assumed the Justice portfolio. On 11 July 2014, Flanagan was appointed as Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, succeeding the former Labour leader Eamon Gilmore.

External links

• Charles Flanagan's page on the Fine Gael website

Oireachtas
Preceded by Oliver Flanagan Fine Gael	Fine Gael Teachta Dála for Laois–Offaly 1987–2002	Succeeded by Tom Parlon Progressive Democrats
Preceded by Tom Parlon Progressive Democrats	Fine Gael Teachta Dála for Laois–Offaly 2007–present	Incumbent
Party political offices
Preceded by Pádraic McCormack	Chairman of the Fine Gael parliamentary party 2011–2014	Succeeded by Dan Neville
Political offices
Preceded by Frances Fitzgerald	Minister for Children and Youth Affairs 2014	Succeeded by James Reilly
Preceded by Eamon Gilmore	Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade 2014–present	Incumbent