John O'Donogue was born in Caherciveen County Kerry in 1956. He was educated locally and qualified from University College Cork with a degree in law. He established himself as a solicitor in his home town before getting involved in local politics. In 1987 he was elected to Dáil Éireann for the first time and has been re-elected at every election since then. Between 1991 and 1992 he served as Minister for State at the Department of Finance. He was consigned to the backbenches when Albert Reynolds became Taoiseach. In 1995 he was promoted to the front bench of Fianna Fáil, becoming spokesman for Justice. He criticised the current Minister for Justice, Nora Owen, and campaigned for zero tolerance regarding criminals and extra prison places. In 1997 he was appointed Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform. In that portfolio he received criticism for his department's handling of the ever-increasing rise in asylum seekers. In 2002, in what was seen as a demotion, he was appointed Minister for Tourism, Sport & Recreation.