Brian Lenihan Snr

Brian Patrick Lenihan (17 November 1930 – 1 November 1995) was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician who served in a number of ministerial positions spanning four decades from the 1960s to 1990s, and was Tánaiste from 1987 to 1990. He served as a Teachta Dála (TD) from 1961 to 1973 and from 1977 to 1995, and was a Senator for the Industrial and Commercial Panel from 1957 to 1961 and 1973 to 1977. He also served as a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for the Oireachtas from 1973 to 1977. In the 1990 presidential election, he unsuccessfully stood as Fianna Fáil's presidential candidate.

He was a member of a family political dynasty; his father, Patrick Lenihan, and sister both followed him into Dáil Éireann; his sister Mary O'Rourke sitting in cabinet with him. Two of his sons, Brian Lenihan Jnr and Conor Lenihan, became TDs in the 1990s. Brian Lenihan Jnr served as Minister for Finance and Conor was Minister of State in the government of Taoiseach Brian Cowen. Two phrases associated with Lenihan Snr, No problem and On mature recollection, entered the Irish political lexicon.