Minister Mary Hanafin TD
Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach (with special responsibility as Government Chief Whip and for the Information Society) and at the Department of Defence.
Born: Thurles, Co. Tipperary.
Education:
•    Presentation Convent, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.
•    St Patrick's College, Maynooth (BA, HdipED). 
•    Dublin Institute of Technology (Diploma in Legal Studies).
Career
•    Former secondary school teacher of Irish and History,Dominican College, Sion Hill, Blackrock, Co Dublin.
•    Former Member of Oireachtas Joint Committees on Heritage and the Irish Language;Justice, Equality & Women's Rights; Education and  Science.
•    Elected National Treasurer of Fianna Fáil in 1993.
•    Member of Fianna Fáil National Executive since 1980.
•    Member of Dublin City Council 1985-1991
•    Elected to Dáil Éireann in 1997.
•    Fianna Fáil T.D. for Dún Laoghaire
•    January 2000 appointed Minister of State at the Departments of Health and Children, Justice, Equality and Law Reform, and Education and Science, with special responsibility for Children.
•    November 2000, given an expanded role to oversee the co-ordination of all government policies for children and the implementation of the National Children's Strategy.
•    Re-elected to the Dáil on May 18th, 2002