Ien Dales, Dutch civil servant and politician, Dutch Minister of the Interior (d. 1994)
Catharina Isabella "Ien" Dales (18 October 1931 – 10 January 1994) was a Dutch politician of the Labour Party (PvdA) and social worker.Dales worked as a social worker from February 1953 until September 1977 and as a civil servant for municipality of Rotterdam as director of the Social Service from September 1977 until September 1981. After the election of 1981 Dales was appointed State Secretary for Social Affairs and Employment in the Cabinet Van Agt II, taking office on 11 September 1981. The Cabinet Van Agt II fell just seven months into its term on 12 May 1982 and continued to serve in a demissionary capacity until it was replaced by the caretaker Cabinet Van Agt III on 29 May 1982. Dales was elected as a Member of the House of Representatives after the election of 1982, taking office on 16 September 1982. In April 1987 Dales was nominated as Mayor of Nijmegen, she resigned as a Member of the House of Representatives the day she was installed as Mayor, taking office on 16 May 1987. After the election of 1989 Dales was appointed Minister of the Interior in the Cabinet Lubbers III, taking office on 7 November 1989. On 10 January 1994 Dales died after suffering a fatal heart Attack at her home in Utrecht.
Dales was known for her abilities as a manager and mediator. She holds the distinction as the second known LGBT government Minister of the Netherlands and the first bisexual, she was in a relationship with fellow Labour Party politician Elizabeth Schmitz. For many years this fact was an open secret in Dutch politics at that time.