Newly re-elected Fianna Fáil TD Jim O’Callaghan (56) has made no secret of his ambition to be minister for justice in a new administration. If it is an option from coalition talks he knows it will be a decision for his party leader Micheál Martin, with whom he has had a difficult relationship. In 2020 he turned down the role of junior minister in the department, opting to remain on the backbenches.

A barrister and senior counsel, he is the party’s spokesman on justice and was Fianna Fáil’s legal adviser before his first election to the Dáil in 2016. He has retained his seat in each successive election in the highly competitive Dublin Bay South constituency. Well regarded by his colleagues, he is a strong and incisive contributor to Dáil justice debates.

He lives in Ranelagh with his family and played rugby to a high level, representing UCD, Cambridge University, London Irish, Wanderers, Leinster and Connacht at senior level. He also represented Ireland at under-21 level. He holds degrees in law from UCD, Cambridge University and the King’s Inns..