Enda Kenny

Enda Kenny (born April 24, 1951) is an Irish politician. He was first elected to Dáil Éireann as a Fine Gael TD in 1975. He has served as Minister for Tourism & Trade and has been the leader of Fine Gael since 2002.

Enda Kenny was born in Castlebar, County Mayo on April 24, 1951. He was educated in Castlebar, St. Patrick's Teacher Training College, Drumcondra & University College Galway. He qualified as a Primary School Teacher. Kenny has represented the people of Mayo in Dáil Éireann since 1975 when he was first elected in a by-election following the death of his father, Henrey Kenny. He has been elected at nine consecutive elections since then as a Fine Gael TD.

In the mid-1980s, he was a member of the Fine Gael delegation at the New Ireland Forum and later served on the British Irish Parliamentary Association. Under Taoiseach Garret FitzGerald he served as Minister of State at the Department of Education & Labour from 1986 until 1987. During his period as a TD he has served as party spokesperson on Education, Arts, Heritage Gaeltacht and the Islands, Western Development and Youth Affairs and Sport.

Kenny negotiated, on behalf of Fine Gael, the Programme for Government with the Labour and Democratic Left parties prior to the formation of the Rainbow Coalition Government in 1994. Under Taoiseach John Bruton he was appointed Minister for Tourism & Trade in 1994. During his tenure as Minister he oversaw an unprecedented growth in tourism business and Ireland's trade position internationally. As Minister he also chaired the European Union Council of Trade Ministers during Ireland's Presidency of the European Council.

In 2001 Kenny was defeated by Michael Noonan for the leadership of the Fine Gael Party. However after the disastrous perfromance of Fine Gael in the 2002 General Election Noonan resigned immediately. In June of 2002 Kenny was elected the Leader of Fine Gael. He is also Laeder of the Opoosition in Dáil Éireann.

Enda Kenny is married with three children.