James Lawless

James Lawless is an Irish politician who has served as the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science since January 2025. A member of Fianna Fáil, he has represented the Kildare North constituency as a Teachta Dála (TD) since 2016. Before entering national politics, he served on the Kildare County Council and as Mayor of Naas. Lawless holds degrees in mathematics and high-performance computing from Trinity College Dublin and is a qualified barrister. His political career has focused on digital regulation, justice reform, and progressive universalism in public funding. He is also a vocal advocate for a health-led approach to drug policy, including the potential decriminalization of cannabis.