[3] Ring was unsuccessful as a Fine Gael candidate in the Mayo West constituency in the 1992 general election.

He was appointed to the Fine Gael Front Bench in 2002, as Spokesperson on Social and Family Affairs.

Ring stepped down from the Front Bench in 2004, after an expected demotion, however, he returned in 2007 as Spokesperson on Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs.

On 10 March 2011, he was appointed as Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport with responsibility for Tourism and Sport by the coalition government of Fine Gael and the Labour Party led by Ring's constituency colleague Enda Kenny.

[5] He was appointed to cabinet on 14 June 2017 as Minister for Rural and Community Development in the new minority government of Fine Gael and Independents led by Leo Varadkar.