Michael has been in active politics since the mid-1980’s when he served as Director of Elections for Dr. Garret Fitzgerald. He was elected as a TD for Dublin South East (now the constituency of Dublin Bay South) in 1987, 1992 and 2002. He served as Attorney General from 1999 to 2002, as Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform from 2002 until 2007, and as Tánaiste from 2006 until 2007. He was elected to Seanad Éireann in 2016 as an Independent member on the NUI panel.
