Joe Costello

Who is Joe Costello?

Joe Costello is an Irish Labour Party politician. He is a Teachta Dála for the Dublin Central constituency and is the Minister of State for Trade and Development since December 2011.

Costello was born in Geevagh, County Sligo and was educated at Summerhill College, Sligo, St Patrick's College, Maynooth and University College Dublin. He worked as a secondary school teacher before becoming a full-time public representative.

He joined the Labour Party in 1985, and in 1989 he was elected to the 19th Seanad Éireann on the Administrative Panel. He remained there until the 1992 general election when he was elected to Dáil Éireann. Costello lost his seat at the 1997 general election but was subsequently elected to the Seanad again. Costello was re-elected to the Dáil at the 2002 and 2007 general elections.

His wife Emer Costello is a former MEP for Dublin.

On 20 December 2011, he was appointed as Minister of State for Trade and Development.