Frances Fitzgerald profile: From social worker to Minister for Justice

In appointing Frances Fitzgerald as Minister for Justice, Enda Kenny has chosen a staunch ally who has impressed in delivering major reforms to children's services over recent years.

The former social worker first came to public attention on foot of her role in social and political campaigns in the 1980s.

As chairwoman of the Women’s Council of Ireland , she championed causes such as encouraging more women into politics. Impressed by her campaigning zeal, the late Garret FitzGerald asked her to stand for election.

The mother of three won a seat in Dublin South East in 1992, with her emphasis on women’s issues, leading to grumbles among rivals over this new breed of “professional feminist”.

After serving as frontbench spokeswoman on issues ranging from the arts to social affairs, she lost her seat a decade later.

She re-entered the parliamentary party after winning a Seanad seat in 2007, and was made leader of the opposition.

Her loyalty to Kenny was tested when he announced plans to abolish the Seanad. Some of her colleagues balked, though she gave the measure her full support. She backed Kenny again during Richard Bruton’s heave.

Her reward came in 2011 as Fine Gael swept into power and she was appointed to the first Cabinet-level post of Minister for Children.

In taking over the role, she was given responsibility for a chaotic child-protection service that was struggling to meet the needs of vulnerable young people.

Significant changes
While previous governments have been strong on rhetoric but weak on delivery, Ms Fitzgerald helped steer through significant changes that may lead to better outcomes for children.

It has been done quietly, for the most part, with an emphasis on cross-party consensus.

One of her biggest achievements was to successfully steer through a potentially divisive referendum that strengthened children’s rights, two decades after it was first proposed. The involvement of other political parties helped ensure the proposed changes had crucial cross-party support.

Another milestone was the establishment of a new agency that has taken responsibility for most children’s services from the HSE.

While sure-footed for the most part, there have been some slips along the way.

During the children's referendum official information booklets and a website on the impact of the proposed changes were found by the courts to be biased and led to a lengthy Supreme Court appeal. (It was dismissed a year after the referendum).

In private, Fitzgerald will be a striking contrast to Alan Shatter, whose aloof and occasionally supercilious manner alienated many. The new Minister is warm, popular and good-humoured.

Now based in Castleknock in west Dublin, she is married to Michael Fitzgerald – a professor of psychiatry in Trinity College Dublin – and has three son in theirs 20s, an actor, an accountant and a student.

Born in Limerick, she was educated in Dublin and attended secondary school in Sion Hill, Blackrock, before completing a social science degree in UCD.

Overall, her experience in presiding over sweeping reforms in the children’s arena should hold her in good stead.

As Minister for Justice she will need to guide through large-scale change to help restore public confidence in our law-enforcement system.

In a career that has taken her from social work to the Department of Justice, it looks set to be her biggest challenge to date.