2017 - Present
18th CABINET MINISTER

REGINA DOHERTY Fine Gael TD, Meath East

MINISTER FOR SOCIAL PROTECTION & EMPLOYMENT AFFAIRS
JUNE 2017 TO DATE

‘Now do I look around the table and see a few women and a load of men? I actually don’t. I just look around the table and see different views, different opinions.’

Martina FitzGerald, Madam Politicians – The Women at The Table of Irish Political Power. Gill Books, 2018.

Ministerial Achievements

In January 2018, Regina Doherty launched the consultation to further expand the Gender Recognition Act 2015 to include those under 18 and non-binary people.

Regina announced fundamental reforms to the pension system and confirmed the Government’s intention to introduce pension auto enrolment from 2022.

Political Career timeline

  • Joined Ratoath Fine Gael branch in 2004.
  • Officer at local and constituency level.
  • Selected to contest the General Election in May 2007.
  • Elected to Meath County Council in 2009.
  • Served until 2011 when she was elected to Dáil Éireann.
  • Elected to 31st Dáil Éireann, 2011.

 

  • She was appointed Fine Gael’s Deputy Director of Elections for the Seanad Abolition referendum, 2013.
  • Elected to 32nd Dáil Éireann, 2016.
  • Appointed Government Chief Whip , 2016.
  • Minister of State at the Department of an Taoiseach in May 2016.
  • Appointed as Minister for Social Protection & Employment Affairs, June 2017.

Regina was an active member of multiple Committees including:

  • The Joint Committee on Health & Children
  • The Joint Committee on Finance
  • The Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform
  • The Joint Committee on the implementation of the Good Friday Agreement.
  • Member of the Constitutional Convention. 

Biography

Born Regina Dalton in Rotunda Hospital, Dublin 26 Jan 1971. She lived at 2 St Vincent Street, Inchicore, Dublin 8 for her first year. She moved to the north side of Dublin (where her parents came from) and lived with relatives for a short time before her parents purchased their first house in Ballymun in September 1972. The family (now including Regina’s brother, Andrew) moved to a new home in Glasnevin in September 1983.

Regina was at the centre of politics, her parents were heavily involved in the Fine Gael party. Regina accompanied them on all election campaigns, recalling: “As a child, I actually thought that we were related to Garret Fitzgerald because we spent so much time following him through villages and fields on election trails”.

One of my very first vivid memories is the 1979 Local Elections

Regina recalled: “One of my very first vivid memories is the 1979 Local Elections, when my mam, was a candidate alongside Nora Owen in North County Dublin.

I was only 8 but got to ride around in the election campaign coaches with Garret Fitzgerald, Richie Ryan and Maura Mannering, who signed my Autograph book.”

Regina visited the Fine Gael Ard Fhéis in the RDS for her First Communion Day – she recalled ‘I made a fortune!’

All of this sparked a lot of interest in politics which my friends did not share. I’d go into school talking about what happened on Today – Tonight, while everyone else would have watched Knots Landing.

Education & Work

Educated at St Marys Holy Faith Convent, Glasnevin, Regina went on to study marketing at the College of Marketing and Design.

She worked in the IT sector for 20 years - finally as Sales Director for the Horizon Technology Group. Regina set up her own distribution company in 2001 - Enhanced Solutions - which was successful for many years before succumbing to the financial crash in 2009.

She married Declan Doherty (from Ashbourne) in December 1997, settling in Dunboyne before moving to Ratoath. They have 4 children, Jack, Grace, Ryan and Kate.