Brian LenihanPosition: Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform
Age:48
Party:Fianna Fáil
Constituency:Dublin West
Political career:First elected to the Dáil in 1996 in the byelection caused by the death of his father Brian snr, a former tánaiste. A senior counsel and minister of state for children since 2002, his role extended across three departments including justice, education and health.
In the 1997-2002 Dáil he was chairman of the all-party committee on the Constitution which dealt with proposed changes in the abortion law.
Immediate challenges:Garda numbers; organised crime.
