Irene Vorrink

Irene Vorrink (7 January 1918 – 21 August 1996) was a Dutch politician of the Labour Party (PvdA).[1]

Her Excellency

Irene Vorrink
Irene Vorrink in 1979
Minister of Health and Environment
In office
11 May 1973 – 19 December 1977
Prime MinisterJoop den Uyl
Preceded byLouis Stuyt
Succeeded byLeendert Ginjaar
Member of the Senate
In office
16 September 1969 – 11 May 1973
Parliamentary groupLabour Party
Personal details
Born
Irene Vorrink

(1918-01-07)7 January 1918
The Hague, Netherlands
Died21 August 1996(1996-08-21) (aged 78)
Leek, Netherlands
NationalityDutch
Political partyLabour Party (from 1946)
Other political
affiliations		Social Democratic
Workers' Party (1936–1946)
Spouse(s)
​
​
(m. 1946; div. 1948)​
Domestic partnerPetrus Hugenholtz
(1954–1996)
ChildrenKoos Zwart (1947–2014)
FatherKoos Vorrink (1891–1955)
Alma materUniversity of Amsterdam
(Bachelor of Laws, Master of Laws)
OccupationPolitician · Civil servant · Jurist · Journalist · Editor · Nonprofit director

She was born on 7 January 1918 in The Hague as the daughter of the Dutch socialist leader Koos Vorrink. She studied law until 1943 and held several legal functions, before she became a member of the Senate for the PvdA in 1969.[2]

In 1973 she became Minister of Health in the cabinet Den Uyl. A major issue was the legislation concerning drugs, which she achieved in 1976 together with Minister of Justice, Dries van Agt. The Netherlands has since then employed a distinction between hard and soft drugs.[2]

She also took the leading role in attempting to establish a legal basis for the fluoridation of drinking water. Though fluoridation to prevent tooth decay had been occurring in many areas across the Netherlands for years, the Supreme Court ruled in 1973 that it should be specifically provided for in the Water Supply law. Her bill to do so did not find support in the House of Representatives outside her own party, and was dropped.[3]

From 1978 until 1979 Vorrink was an alderman in the city of Amsterdam.[2]

References
  1. "Vorrink, Irene (1918-1996)" (in Dutch). Huygens ING. 12 November 2013. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
  2. "Mr. I. (Irene) Vorrink" (in Dutch). Parlement.com. Retrieved 21 June 2016.
  3. HA Edeler (23 September 2009). De drinkwaterfluoridering : tandartsen, staat en volksgezondheid in Nederland, 1946-1976 (Thesis) (in Dutch). pp. 301–302, 304–306.
Official
Political offices
Preceded by
Louis Stuyt		 Minister of Health and Environment
1973–1977		 Succeeded by
Leendert Ginjaar


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