Dermot Ahern was born in Drigheda, County Louth in February 1955. He was educated in Dundalk and qualified from University College Dublin with a degree in law. He had been involved in local politics between 1979 and 1991. In 1991 he came out as a supporter of Charles Haughey and was appointed Government Chief Whip and Minister for State at the Departments of An Taoiseach and Defence. However, Ahern lost his ministerial position when Albert Reynolds came to power in 1992. In 1994 Bertie Ahern became leader of the party and Ahern once again returned to the senior ranks of Fianna Fáil. In 1997 Ahern was sent to London to check out rumours that Ray Burke received a payment from Joseph Murphy. The claim was denied and Burke was appointed Minister for Foreign Affairs two days later. Ahern became Minister for Community, Family & Social Affairs. He secured more funds for his department due to the sale of Telecom Éireann. Following the general election in 2002 Ahern was appointed Minister for Communications, the Marine & Natural Resources.