Originally from the Donabate/Portrane area, he lives in Skerries, since he married Margie Monks in the late 1970s. He is a younger brother of Seán Ryan, a former TD for Dublin North. He was educated at Dublin Institute of Technology, University College Dublin and Dublin City University, receiving a degree in chemistry and master's degrees in food science and business administration. He has worked as an operations manager. An unsuccessful candidate at the 2007 general election for Dublin North, he was then elected to the Administrative Panel of Seanad Éireann and served from 2007 to 2011.[2] An active member of the Labour Party since 1978, however, he had never held any elected office or public role before his election to the Seanad.
In 2011, he was elected to the Dáil for the first time. He was one of only seven Labour Party TDs returned to the Dáil at the 2016 general election. Of the other six, four were outgoing ministers and the other two were Ministers of State during the 31st Dáil.[3]
