Gerard Brady

Who is Gerard Brady?

Gerard Brady is a former Irish Fianna Fáil politician who served as Minister for Education from October to December 1982.

Gerard Brady was born in Dublin in 1936. He was educated at St. Mary's College in Rathmines and later at the College of Science and Technology and the College of Pharmacy in the city. Following his graduation he worked as an ophthalmic optician. Brady's first entry into the political scene was at local level when he was elected to Dublin City Council in 1974. At the 1977 general election he was elected to Dáil Éireann, succeeding his father, Philip Brady as Fianna Fáil Teachta Dála for the Dublin Rathmines West constituency. He represented Dublin South–East from 1981 onwards.

Brady was appointed Minister of State at the Department of the Environment by Charles Haughey in March 1982. Following the resignation of Martin O'Donoghue in October of that year, Brady succeeded him as Minister for Education. Brady's tenure in the Cabinet is one of the shortest in history. Two months after his appointment Fianna Fáil lost the November 1982 general election. He was reappointed to the opposition frontbench but was not given a ministerial job when the party returned to power in 1987 and 1989. Brady lost his seat at the 1992 general election to party colleague Eoin Ryan. He subsequently retired from political life.