chairman of a number of Oireachtas Committees, including, Agriculture, Marine, Social Affairs, and Finance. After the 2007 general election, he was appointed as Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food with special responsibility for Fisheries, serving in a similar role after a transfer of ministerial functions. On 13 May 2008, after Brian Cowen became Taoiseach, Browne was not appointed to any ministerial position. Browne was involved in controversy in November 2011 when it emerged that the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform incorrectly paid him a pension from his time as a junior minister at the Department of Agriculture worth €7,396.31 despite still being a sitting TD. The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform apologised to the TD for the embarrassment caused to him. Browne retired at the 2016 general election. His son James Browne was elected at that election, and in 2020, was appointed as a Minister of State. References External links John Browne's page on the Fianna Fáil website 1948 births Living people Fianna Fáil TDs Irish sportsperson-politicians Local councillors in County Wexford Members of the 24th Dáil Members of the 25th Dáil Members of the 26th Dáil Members of the 27th Dáil Members of the 28th Dáil Members of the 29th Dáil Members of the 30th Dáil Members of the 31st Dáil Ministers of State of the 26th Dáil Ministers of State of the 27th Dáil Ministers of State of the 29th Dáil Ministers of State of the 30th Dáil People from Enniscorthy Wexford inter-county hurlers