Thomas J. Fitzpatrick (Cavan politician)

Infobox Officeholder
name =Tom Fitzpatrick
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imagesize =200px
order =Ceann Comhairle of the Dáil Éireann
term_start =14 December 1982
term_end =10 March 1987
predecessor =John O'Connell
successor =Séamus Pattison
birth_date =birth date|1918|2|14|df=y
birth_place =Clones, County Monaghan
death_date =death date and age|2006|10|2|1918|2|14|df=y
constituency =Cavan
constituency2 =Cavan-Monaghan
party= Fine Gael

Thomas J. "Tom" Fitzpatrick (14 February 1918 – 2 October 2006) was an Irish Fine Gael politician who served as Ceann Comhairle of Dáil Éireann from 1982 to 1987.

Fitzpatrick was born at Scotshouse, Clones, County Monaghan in 1918.cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2006/1002/fitzpatrickt.html |title=Former Ceann Comhairle of the Dáil dies |publisher=RTÉ news |date=2 October 2006 |accessdate=2008-01-08] He was educated at St. Macartan's College, the Incorporated Law Society and University College Dublin where he qualified as a solicitor, and then entered practice as a solictor in Cavan.

Fitzpatrick first held political office in 1950, when he was elected to Cavan Urban District Council. In 1961, he moved to national politics when he was elected to Seanad Éireann. He was first elected to Dáil Éireann at the 1965 general election as a Fine Gael Teachta Dála (TD) for Cavan. He held many Opposition Front Bench portfolios including Defence, Health & Social Welfare, Justice and the Environment, as well as being Fine Gael Chief Whip from 1979 to 1981.

Fitzpatrick served in the Irish Government on several occasions under two Taoisigh, Liam Cosgrave and Garret FitzGerald. His first government post was in 1973, when he was appointed Minister for Lands. After Fine Gael lost power in 1977, he was mentioned as a possible leader of the party if a compromise were needed between FitzGerald and Cosgrave."Influential behind scenes during FG turmoil", "The Irish Times" obituary, 7 October 2006.] Following the November 1982 general election, he was elected Ceann Comhairle, a post which he held until 1987. Fitzpatrick was re-elected to the Dáil (or automatically returned as Ceann Comhairle) at every election until 1989 when he retired from politics.

References

*oireachtas-database

External links

* [http://www.electionsireland.org/candidate.cfm?ID=6657 Tom Fitzpatrick's electoral history] (ElectionsIreland.org)

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