Brendan Griffin

Who is Brendan Griffin?

Brendan Griffin is an Irish Fine Gael politician. A former publican, he was elected as a Teachta Dála for the Kerry South constituency at the 2011 general election.

Griffin is a former member of Kerry County Council representing the Dingle area from 2009 to 2011. He was the subject of controversy for hiring his wife Róisín as his secretarial assistant and his cousin Tommy Griffin as his parliamentary assistant. Both these positions were filled without interview and have salaries paid for by the state. In addition, Griffin helped another cousin, Matt Griffin, get his old council seat. He takes half of his TD salary, at first giving the other half directly back to the exchequer and then in 2012 donating the other half of his salary to pay for a third teacher in a small rural Kerry school.