Ged Nash


Gerald Henry Nash is an Irish Labour Party politician who has been a Teachta Dála for the Louth constituency since 2020, and previously from 2011 to 2016. He previously served as Minister of State for Business and Employment from 2014 to 2016. He was a Senator for the Labour Panel from 2016 to 2020.
Nash was a member of Louth County Council for the Drogheda local electoral area from 2000 to 2011, and a member of Drogheda Town Council from 1999 to 2011. He served as Mayor of Drogheda from 2004 to 2005.

Early life

Nash was born on 7 December 1975. He attended St. Joseph's CBS, Drogheda and graduated with an Hons. BA in Politics & History from University College Dublin. He was a former PR consultant to the trade unions and the not-for-profit sector. He was a former manager of the Upstate Theatre Project company in Drogheda and was a former teacher in St. Oliver's Community College in Drogheda.

Political career

Councillor and Mayor

Nash was a member of Louth County Council for the Drogheda local electoral area from 2000 to 2011, and a member of Drogheda Town Council from 1999 to 2011. He served as mayor of Drogheda from 2004 to 2005.

TD

He was elected as a Labour Party TD for the Louth constituency at the 2011 general election. He lost his seat at the 2016 general election, but was re-elected to the Dáil in 2020.

Minister of State

In July 2014, he was appointed as Minister of State for Business and Employment, with responsibility for small and medium business, collective bargaining and low pay commission at the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation. He was also made a Super Junior Minister, which meant he attended cabinet meetings but did not have a vote.
While a Minister of State, Nash commissioned the first major independent study of zero and low hour contracts in the Irish labour market. The research was carried out by the University of Limerick and published in November 2015. At the time Nash, himself a former National Secretary of Labour Youth, praised the "vocal campaign" run by his party's youth wing on the issue of zero hour contracts.

Seanad Éireann

In April 2016, Nash was elected to Seanad Éireann as a Senator for the Labour Panel. Party leader Brendan Howlin subsequently appointed him as Labour Party Spokesperson on Equality, and Labour Affairs and Workers Rights. Nash is currently party spokesperson on Employment and Social Protection.

Personal life

Nash is a director of Drogheda Youth Development, the Calipo Theatre and Picture Company, a Member of Board of the Droichead Arts Centre, a member of Drogheda Rotary Club and a former member of Louth VEC.