Colm Brophy

Colm Brophy (born 22 June 1966) is an Irish Fine Gael politician who has been a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Dublin South-West constituency since the 2016 general election.^[1] He served as a Minister of State from July 2020 to December 2022 and again since January 2025.

Colm Brophy TD
Brophy in 2024
Minister of State
2025–	Justice, Home Affairs and Migration
2020–2022	Foreign Affairs
Chair of the Committee on Budgetary Oversight
In office 13 December 2017 – 1 July 2020
Preceded by	Josepha Madigan
Succeeded by	Neasa Hourigan
Teachta Dála
Incumbent
Assumed office February 2016
Constituency	Dublin South-West
Personal details
Born	(1966-06-22) 22 June 1966 (age 58) Dublin, Ireland
Political party	Fine Gael
Spouse	Maeve O'Connell ​ (m. 1998)​
Alma mater	Dublin Institute of Technology

Early life

Originally from Cabinteely, Brophy studied business at Rathmines College of Commerce.^[2] Before becoming a councillor, he was the Director of Elections for the European Parliament campaigns for Fine Gael candidates Mary Banotti and Gay Mitchell.^[3]

Political career

Brophy was co-opted to South Dublin County Council in 2008, and served as a councillor until 2016.^[4][3] During 2015 until his election to the Dáil, Brophy served as President of the Association of Irish Local Government (AILG).^[5]

At the 2016 general election, Brophy stood as one of three Fine Gael candidates in the Dublin South-West constituency. He won with 10.7% of the first preference votes, and was elected on the sixteenth count.^[6] Brian Lawlor was co-opted to fill Brophy's seat on South Dublin County Council.^[7]

He was appointed Chair of the Dáil Committee on Budgetary Oversight in December 2017.^[8]

At the 2020 general election, he won 12.2% of the first-preference votes, and was re-elected on the tenth count.^[9][10] Following the formation of the 32nd government of Ireland, Brophy was appointed on 1 July 2020 as Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs with responsibility for overseas development aid and diaspora.^[11] He said that his "focus in the coming months and years will be to listen to, and to support, our Diaspora communities, particularly its most vulnerable members".^[12][13] He was not re-appointed as a junior minister as part of the 33rd government of Ireland in December 2022.^[14]

At the 2024 general election, Brophy was re-elected to the Dáil. In January 2025, he was appointed as Minister of State at the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration with responsibility for migration.

Personal life

Brophy and his wife Maeve O'Connell in 2024

Brophy is married to Maeve O'Connell, who was elected as a Fine Gael TD for Dublin Rathdown at the 2024 general election.^[2]