Eugene Fitzgerald (21 August 1932 – 14 December 2007) was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician who served as

Minister for Finance A finance minister is an executive or cabinet position in charge of one or more of government finances, economic policy and financial regulation. A finance minister's portfolio has a large variety of names around the world, such as "treasury", ...

from 1980 to 1981,

Minister for the Public Service The Minister for Transport ( ga, An tAire Iompair) is a senior minister in the Government of Ireland and leads the Department of Transport. The current Minister for Transport is Eamon Ryan, TD. He is also Minister for the Environment, Climate ...

from 1980 to 1981 to March 1982 to December 1982, Minister for Labour from 1977 to 1980 and March 1982 to December 1982. He served as a Teachta Dála (TD) from 1972 to 1987. He was a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for the

Munster Munster ( gle, an Mhumhain or ) is one of the provinces of Ireland, in the south of Ireland. In early Ireland, the Kingdom of Munster was one of the kingdoms of Gaelic Ireland ruled by a "king of over-kings" ( ga, rí ruirech). Following the ...

constituency from 1984 to 1994. Gene Fitzgerald was born in Crookstown, County Cork in August 1932. He was educated nearby in

Cork Cork or CORK may refer to: Materials * Cork (material), an impermeable buoyant plant product ** Cork (plug), a cylindrical or conical object used to seal a container ***Wine cork Places Ireland * Cork (city) ** Metropolitan Cork, also known as G ...

at the Presentation Brothers College. Fitzgerald was first elected to

Dáil Éireann Dáil Éireann ( , ; ) is the lower house, and principal chamber, of the Oireachtas (Irish legislature), which also includes the President of Ireland and Seanad Éireann (the upper house).Article 15.1.2º of the Constitution of Ireland read ...

in a by-election in 1972. He remained as a Fianna Fáil TD for the constituency of Cork South-Central for 15 years. He was also involved in local politics, serving as a member of Cork County Council from 1974 until 1977. Fitzgerald was also vice-president of the Cork County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association. Fitzgerald was first appointed to the

Irish Government The Government of Ireland ( ga, Rialtas na hÉireann) is the cabinet that exercises executive authority in Ireland. The Constitution of Ireland vests executive authority in a government which is headed by the , the head of government. The governm ...

in 1977 when he became Minister for Labour under

Jack Lynch John Mary Lynch (15 August 1917 – 20 October 1999) was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician who served as Taoiseach from 1966 to 1973 and 1977 to 1979, Leader of Fianna Fáil from 1966 to 1979, Leader of the Opposition from 1973 to 1977, Minister ...

. He backed George Colley in the

1979 Fianna Fáil leadership election The 1979 Fianna Fáil leadership election began in December 1979, when Jack Lynch resigned as party leader and Taoiseach. Lynch had been party leader for thirteen years and Taoiseach for over nine years. His successor was elected by the member ...

but retained his office under the eventual victor, Charles Haughey. His appointment as Minister for Finance in 1980 caused some political commentators to be taken aback, particularly because of his political inexperience and also Fitzgerald had never been named as a possible Finance Minister. From then on he backed Haughey in the leadership heaves of 1982. In Haughey's second government Fitzgerald returned to the position of Minister for Labour. Fitzgerald contested the 1984 European election in the

constituency and won a seat. He remained a TD until he stood down at the 1987 general election to concentrate on European politics instead of national politics. He was re-elected as an MEP in the

1989 elections The following elections occurred in the year 1989. Africa * 1989 Beninese parliamentary election * 1989 Botswana general election * 1989 Equatorial Guinean presidential election * 1989 People's Republic of the Congo parliamentary election * ...

. Fitzgerald retired from public office at the 1994 election, although he remained involved in the Fianna Fáil party as a Treasurer and subsequently as Honorary Secretary.

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* {{DEFAULTSORT:Fitzgerald, Gene 1932 births 2007 deaths Fianna Fáil TDs Ministers for Finance (Ireland) Politicians from County Cork Members of the 19th Dáil Members of the 20th Dáil Members of the 21st Dáil Members of the 22nd Dáil Members of the 23rd Dáil Members of the 24th Dáil Fianna Fáil MEPs MEPs for the Republic of Ireland 1989–1994 MEPs for the Republic of Ireland 1984–1989 People educated at Presentation Brothers College, Cork