Paddy Donegan

Patrick Sarsfield (Paddy) Donegan (29 October 1923 – 26 November 2000) was an Irish Fine Gael Party politician.

He was educated at a Christian Brothers School in Drogheda and at the Vincentian Castleknock College. Donegan was first elected as a Fine Gael Teachta Dála (TD) at the 1954 general election. He lost his seat at the following election but reclaimed it in 1961. In the Fine Gael-Labour coalition government which took power after the 1973 general election Donegan was appointed Minister for Defence.

In October 1976 Donegan made a controversial speech on an official visit to the opening of new kitchen facilities in an army barracks at Mullingar. He described as a 'thundering disgrace'There are claims that the actual words used may have been stronger than "thundering" and "disgrace": see Liam Cosgrave#Taoiseach] President Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh's refusal to sign the Emergency Powers Act, 1976, instead using his powers under Article 26 of the Constitution to refer it to the Supreme Court. The Taoiseach, Liam Cosgrave, refused Donegan's resignation, and instead Ó Dálaigh resigned as President of Ireland. The whole episode badly damaged the government's reputation. Donegan is reported to have suffered from alcoholism at the time.

In 1976 Donegan became Minister for Lands, and in 1977 he served briefly as Minister for Fisheries. Donegan retired from politics at the 1981 election, and died in 2000. He was buried in his home town of Monasterboice.

Notes and references

*oireachtas-database

External links

* [http://www.electionsireland.org/candidate.cfm?ID=2310 Paddy Donegan's electoral history] (ElectionsIreland.org)
* [http://www.rte.ie/news/2000/1126/donegan.html Politicians pay tribute to Paddy Donegan] (RTÉ News, November 2000)
* [http://www.independent.ie/drogheda_independent/stories.php3?ca=34&si=321894&issue_id=3469 Death of Louth’s political colossus Paddy Donegan] (Drogheda Independent)
* [http://www.unison.ie/irish_independent/stories.php3?ca=9&si=318057&issue_id=3433 Minister who caused a president to resign dies after long illness] (Irish Independent)

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