Brian O'Shea (politician)

Brian O'Shea (born 9 December 1944) is an Irish former Labour Party politician who served as Minister of State at the Department of Health from 1994 to 1997 and Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine from 1993 to 1994. He served as a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Waterford constituency from 1989 to 2011.

O'Shea was born in Waterford and educated at Mount Sion CBS, Waterford and St Patrick's College, Dublin. He worked as a teacher before entering politics. He was elected to Tramore Town Council in 1979, and in 1985 was elected to Waterford City Council and Waterford County Council. He served on these local authorities until 1993.

He first stood for election to Dáil Éireann at the February 1982 general election but was unsuccessful. He stood again at the November 1982 and 1987 general elections but was not elected on either occasion. O'Shea was elected to Seanad Éireann in 1987 as a Senator for the Industrial and Commercial Panel. Two years later, at the 1989 general election he was first elected to Dáil Éireann for the Waterford constituency.

In 1993, O'Shea was appointed Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture and Food with responsibility for Food and Horticulture. In 1994, he was appointed Minister of State at the Department of Health with responsibility for Mental Handicap, Public Health and Food Safety. He was party spokesperson for Defence (1997–1998); Education; Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands; Communications and Sport (1998–2002); Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs (2002–2007); and Defence and the Irish language (2007–2011).

He retired from politics at the 2011 general election.