Bruton was first elected to the Dáil in 1982. He has been re-elected at every general election since. He was a Senator from 1981 to 1982 on the agricultural panel. He is the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and the Environment. He has previously served as Minister for Education and Jobs respectively. He also served as Minister of State at the Department of Industry and Commerce in the late '80s. Before entering politics, he worked as an economist.