Ruairi Quinn

Ruairi Quinn, T.D., former Leader of the Labour Party, has served as a public representative in Dáil Eireann (Irish Parliament) for over 25 years and he has also served as a Senator in Seanad Eireann (Upper House).
He led the Labour party for five years from 1997 until 2002 having been deputy leader for the previous 7 years. He was Minister for Finance from 1994 until 1997 having also served in three other cabinet positions.
He secured a famous, and some believed unexpected victory for Mary Robinson as Director of Elections of her campaign to become President of Ireland.
Ruairi is one of the Ireland's most enthusiastic advocates for a stronger Europe and he has served as Vice President and Treasurer of the Party of European Socialists, the 2nd largest grouping in the European parliament, since 1998. He was President of the European Union ECOFIN, Council of Finance Ministers during Ireland's EU Presidency in 1996.
Having been involved in politics since his student days, Ruairi has become a noted political futurologist in particular about the European and world trends. For example in 1998, writing in the Labour Party's in-house magazine, he boldly predicted that: ".... in 2013, which was the 40th anniversary of the Yom Kippur war between Israel and Egypt, the oil producing countries through their international organisation OPEC decided that henceforth, the price of oil would be quoted in Euro per barrel instead of US dollars. This change came about because the Euro had become a more stable and less volatile currency than the dollar."
He has challenged and entertained audiences worldwide with his passionate views on Europe, the Euro and what he terms 'compassionate capitalism'.
A trained architect Ruairi has specialist knowledge of ekistics - the study of human settlements and their developments. Ruairí's other interests include athletics, rugby, hill walking and classical music.