Brian Lenihan

:Brian Lenihan was the name of two Irish politicians, father and son, who held government office in the Republic of Ireland. For the son, who is currently active in Irish politics, see Brian Lenihan, Jr.

Minister for Justice

Lenihan contested his first general election, unsuccessfully, in 1954 and was appointed to Seanad Éireann in 1957 by Taoiseach Eamon de Valera. In 1961 he was elected TD for the Roscommon-Leitrim constituency. In 1964 he was appointed Minister for Justice by Fianna Fáil Taoiseach Sean Lemass. He was one of the new generation of political leaders Lemass brought to the fore; others included Donagh O'Malley, Patrick Hillery, George Colley and Charles J. Haughey. At Justice he succeeded Charles Haughey, by general agreement the most reforming and successful Justice Minister in Irish history.1 With Haughey's sudden move to become Minister for Agriculture (where he replaced a resigned minister, Paddy Smith) it fell to Lenihan to finish Haughey's massive legislative programme, covering everything from repealing mediæval laws to granting succession rights to married women. As Minister it was Lenihan who scrapped Ireland's notorious censorship laws. Controversially he also suggested that the Republic of Ireland should rejoin the Commonwealth of Nations, though it is unclear whether that suggestion actually reflected his opinion or whether he was simply raising the issue at Lemass's request to gauge public reaction.

Related Topics:
1954 - Seanad Éireann - 1957 - Eamon de Valera - 1961 - TD - Roscommon - Leitrim - 1964 - Fianna Fáil - Taoiseach - Sean Lemass - Donagh O'Malley - Patrick Hillery - George Colley - Charles J. Haughey - Commonwealth of Nations

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