Paschal Donohoe (born 19 September 1974) is an Irish Fine Gael politician who has served as Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform since December 2022 and President of the Eurogroup since July 2020. He has been a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Dublin Central constituency since 2011. He served as Minister for Finance of Ireland from 2017 to 2022, Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform from 2016 to 2020, Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport from 2014 to 2016 and Minister of State for European Affairs from 2013 to 2014.
Early life
Donohoe was born in Phibsborough, Dublin, in 1974 and grew up in Blanchardstown. He is the son of a Stena Line employee who also worked renting marquees and tents. He was educated at St. Declan's CBS in Cabra, before receiving a scholarship to Trinity College Dublin. He studied Politics and Economics as part of the Business, Economics and Social Science (BESS) degree programme and graduated with a first-class honours degree in 1996. While at Trinity, he served as Secretary of the University Philosophical Society, a debating and paper-reading society.
From Trinity College, Donohoe was selected by the UK division of multinational company Procter & Gamble for their fast-track graduate training programme. He spent six years working in the United Kingdom, becaming a sales and marketing director. In 2003, he returned to Ireland to pursue a career in politics.
Political career
Donohoe was first elected to Dublin City Council in 2004, for the Cabra-Glasnevin local electoral area. During this time he was Chairperson of the Central Area Committee, Chairperson of the Environmental Strategic Policy Committee and a member of the City Corporate Policy Committee.
He was an unsuccessful candidate at the 2007 general election in the Dublin Central constituency, but was elected to Seanad Éireann as a Senator for the Administrative Panel in July 2007. He was appointed in October 2007, as Fine Gael Seanad Spokesperson on Transport and the Marine. He was a member of the Joint Oireachtas committee on Transport and the Joint Oireachtas committee on European Affairs.
He was appointed Chairman of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Ireland's Future in Europe, by Enda Kenny, in October 2008. On 24 March 2009, he was nominated by Fine Gael to run in the Dublin Central by-election, caused by the death of Tony Gregory, but he was unsuccessful in this election. He topped the poll at the 2011 general election and was elected on the 2nd count.
In government
Minister of State for European Affairs (2013–2014) Following the resignation of Lucinda Creighton, who had broken the government whip in a vote on the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill, Donohoe was appointed as Minister of State for European Affairs on 12 July 2013.
Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (2014–2016) On 11 July 2014, Donohoe was promoted to the cabinet, as Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, a position he held until 6 May 2016.
During his tenure he oversaw the sale of the Government's remaining 25% stake in Aer Lingus, to the International Airlines Group, however, he was also confronted with a series of strikes by Dublin Bus, Luas and Irish Rail workers.
Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (2016–2020) Donohoe was appointed Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, following the formation of a Fine Gael minority government in May 2016.
In the weeks leading up to his first budget in October 2016, Donohoe took over most of the workload from Minister for Finance Michael Noonan, who had been hospitalised for a period. Hopes of a budget splurge were quashed after Donohoe signalled Brexit and other world events would have "seismic consequences" on Ireland. On budget day he announced €58 billion in various day-to-day and capital expenditure which was an increase in €4 billion from the previous budget.
During his tenure as Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Donohoe dealt with a number of complex issues, including a threatened strike by the Garda Síochána. This resulted in a recommendation by the Labour Court and the decision not to proceed with industrial action by members of AGSI and the GRA.
Donohoe also negotiated a new national pay agreement for public servants, known as the Public Service Stability Agreement 2018–2020. This outlined a roadmap for the full and complete unwinding of the emergency legislation introduced during the financial crisis (FEMPI - Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest) as it affects, among other things, the remuneration of public servants and the pensions in payment of retired public servants.