Quinn, Ruairi (1946-…), served as leader of the Irish Labour Party from 1997 to 2002. He was Ireland’s minister of finance from 1994 to 1997 in the coalition government led by John Bruton. In 2011, Quinn was named minister for education and skills.
Quinn was born in Dublin on April 2, 1946. Educated at Blackrock College, Dublin, and at University College Dublin, Quinn became an architect. He was a member of Dail Eireann (Ireland’s House of Representatives) from 1977 to 1981 and from 1982 onward. He became deputy leader of the Labour Party in 1989. Quinn was minister for labor from 1983 to 1987 and minister for enterprise and employment in 1993 and 1994. In 1990, he directed Mary Robinson’s successful campaign for the Irish presidency. When Ireland held the presidency of the European Union in 1996, he argued strongly for a greater emphasis on employment policies.
