John McGuinness (politician)

John J. McGuinness (born 15 March 1955) is an Irish Fianna Fáil politician. He has been a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Carlow–Kilkenny constituency since 1997. He served as Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment with special responsibility for Trade and Commerce from June 2007 to April 2009.

McGuinness was born in Kilkenny and educated in Kilkenny Christian Brothers Secondary School. He holds a Diploma in Business Management. He is married to Margaret Redmond and they have three sons and one daughter. His eldest son Andrew is a Fianna Fáil councillor in Kilkenny city and was elected Mayor on 16 June 2014.

He first entered local politics in 1979 when he won a seat on Kilkenny Borough Council and was a subsequent Mayor of the city from 1996 to 1997. He was the third generation of his family to serve on this council. From 1991 until the abolition of the dual mandate in 2003, he was also member of Kilkenny County Council, where his father Michael McGuinness was the longest-serving councillor (1959–99).

He was first elected to Dáil Éireann as a Fianna Fáil TD for the Carlow–Kilkenny constituency at the 1997 general election. He was vice-chairperson of the Public Accounts Committee in the 29th Dáil and a member of the Joint Oireachtas Committees for European Affairs, Enterprise and Small Business, Justice, and Women's Rights in the 28th Dáil. In 2007 he was appointed as Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment for Trade and Commerce. He has subsequently revealed a testy relationship with his senior minister Mary Coughlan, and considerable disagreement with policy in the department.

On 22 April 2009, as part of cost-cutting measures due to the Irish financial crisis, the Taoiseach Brian Cowen reduced the number of Ministers of State from 20 to 15. McGuinness was among the seven junior ministers who were not reappointed. On 24 April 2009, he criticised Coughlan and Cowen for their lack of leadership being given to the country. He said: "She's not equipped to deal with the complex issues of dealing with enterprise and business within the department. And neither is the department". McGuinness' later rejected suggestions he campaigned to undermine Coughlan, when it was revealed that he had hired external PR advice in an effort to enhance his own profile as a Minister of State within the Department.

In 2010, a political memoir that he co-wrote with Naoise Nunn, called The House Always Wins, was published by Gill & Macmillan.

He is the Fianna Fáil spokesperson on Small Business and Regulatory Framework since April 2011.

Following his successful contribution as Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, Deputy McGuinness will now apply his skills as Chair of the Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach Committee. The Committee plays an important function in scrutinising the work of the Department of Finance as well as devising concrete progressive proposals to promote and coordinate economic and social planning. The added responsibility of the Department of An Taoiseach means that the committee has the power to scrutinise expenditure within the Taoiseach’s office along with all Government Departments.

Deputy Micheal Martin appointed John to this position on June 14, 2016.