Willie O'Dea

Willie O'Dea has been a member of the Dáil for 28 years and was a consistent poll topper in his native Limerick.

He had been Minister for Defence since 2004.

Mr O'Dea, 57, first entered Leinster House in 1982 and opposed the leadership of Charles Haughey.

He was often outspoken. He was expelled from the parliamentary party for a time following a vote over the closure of a Limerick hospital. On another occasion, he had to apologise for criticising his own Government's policy on taxi regulation.

After a decade in the Dáil, the barrister, accountant and former college lecturer was made a junior minister.

He gained wide experience, serving as Minister of State in four departments, before finally making it to Cabinet just five and a half years ago. Defence has been his only senior portfolio.

Early on as minister he was criticised for pointing a pistol at a photographer during a photocall at a military exercise.

He adjusted to the routine of inspecting troops and visiting peacekeepers abroad. Soldiers were deployed to Chad and to the European battle group during his time.

He always keep a keen eye on his Limerick constituency; a city which needed major regeneration and was deeply troubled by gang-related killings.

Willie O'Dea was a frequent defender of Government policies in the media and was a regular panelist on television programmes.

He was said to be close to Taoiseach Brian Cowen and had ambitions to hold a more economic portfolio in the not too distant future.

Witty, combative and said to be obsessed with politics, Willie O'Dea's departure from Cabinet will deprive the Government of one its most colourful personalities.