Jerry Buttimer (born 18 March 1967) is an Irish

Fine Gael Fine Gael ( ; ; ) is a centre-right, liberal-conservative, Christian democratic political party in Ireland. Fine Gael is currently the third-largest party in the Republic of Ireland in terms of members of Dáil Éireann. The party had a member ...

politician who has served as Minister of State at the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht since January 2025. He has been a

Teachta Dála A Teachta Dála ( ; ; plural ), abbreviated as TD (plural ''TDanna'' in Irish language, Irish, TDs in English), is a member of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas, the parliament of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. The official Engli ...

(TD) for the

Cork South-Central "Cork" or "CORK" may refer to: Materials * Cork (material), an impermeable buoyant plant product ** Stopper (plug), or "cork", a cylindrical or conical object used to seal a container *** Wine cork an item to seal or reseal wine Places Ireland * ...

constituency since the 2024 general election, and previously from 2011 to 2016. He previously served as a

Senator A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or Legislative chamber, chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the Ancient Rome, ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior ...

for the

Labour Panel The Labour Panel is one of five vocational panels which together elect 43 of the 60 members of Seanad Éireann, the senate of the Oireachtas (the legislature of Ireland). The Labour Panel elects eleven senators. Election Article 18 of the Const ...

from 2016 to 2024, and previously from 2007 to 2011,

Cathaoirleach Cathaoirleach (; Irish language, Irish for Chair (officer), chairperson; plural: ) is the title of the chair (or speaker (politics), presiding officer) of Seanad Éireann, the sixty-member upper house of the Oireachtas, the legislature of Repub ...

Seanad Éireann Seanad Éireann ( ; ; "Senate of Ireland") is the senate of the Oireachtas (the Irish legislature), which also comprises the President of Ireland and Dáil Éireann (defined as the house of representatives). It is commonly called the Seanad or ...

from December 2022 to November 2024,

Leas-Chathaoirleach Cathaoirleach (; Irish for chairperson; plural: ) is the title of the chair (or presiding officer) of Seanad Éireann, the sixty-member upper house of the Oireachtas, the legislature of Ireland. The current Cathaoirleach is Fianna Fáil Senat ...

from July 2020 to August 2020, Leader of the Seanad from 2016 to 2020 and Leader of Fine Gael in the Seanad from 2016 to 2020.

Early life and education

After early education in

Cork "Cork" or "CORK" may refer to: Materials * Cork (material), an impermeable buoyant plant product ** Stopper (plug), or "cork", a cylindrical or conical object used to seal a container *** Wine cork an item to seal or reseal wine Places Ireland * ...

, Buttimer studied for the priesthood for five years at

St Patrick's College, Maynooth St Patrick's Pontifical University, Maynooth (), is a pontifical Catholic university in the town of Maynooth near Dublin, Ireland Dublin is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Situated on Dublin Bay at the mou ...

as a candidate for the Diocese of Cork and Ross before opting not to pursue the priesthood. He was a classmate of Fintan Monahan,

Bishop of Killaloe The Bishop of Killaloe ( ) is an episcopal title which takes its name after the town of Killaloe in County Clare, Ireland. In the Roman Catholic Church it remains a separate title, but in the Church of Ireland it has been united with other bis ...

. He left for further study and worked as a teacher in a secondary school and more latterly was Director of Adult Education at Ballincollig Community School.

Political career

He was first elected to

Cork City Council Cork City Council () is the local authority of the city of Cork in Ireland. As a city council, it is governed by the Local Government Act 2001. Before 1 January 2002, the council was known as Cork Corporation. The council is responsible for ho ...

in 2004 and was an unsuccessful candidate at the 2007 general election for the

constituency, but was subsequently elected to the Seanad. He was Fine Gael Seanad spokesperson on Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs in the

23rd Seanad The 23rd Seanad was in office from 2007 to 2011. An election to Seanad Éireann, the senate of the Oireachtas (Irish parliament) took place in July 2007, following the 2007 general election to the 30th Dáil on 24 May. There are 60 seats in th ...

. He was critical of the 2012 boundary commission report, which transferred the areas of

Bishopstown Bishopstown () is a suburb of Cork, located in the south west of the city. It is made-up of the townlands of Ballineaspigbeg and Ballineaspigmore (sometimes spelled Ballinaspigmore), and is located in the civil parish of St. Finbar's in the hi ...

and Glasheen from the Cork South–Central constituency to

Cork North-Central "Cork" or "CORK" may refer to: Materials * Cork (material), an impermeable buoyant plant product ** Stopper (plug), or "cork", a cylindrical or conical object used to seal a container *** Wine cork an item to seal or reseal wine Places Ireland * ...

. Both areas were considered his political base in the constituency. Despite predictions that he would move to Cork North-Central at the next election, he announced in August 2012 that he would contest the next election in Cork South-Central. He lost his seat at the 2016 general election. After his election as a member of

in April 2016, he was appointed by the

Taoiseach The Taoiseach (, ) is the head of government or prime minister of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. The office is appointed by the President of Ireland upon nomination by Dáil Éireann (the lower house of the Oireachtas, Ireland's national legisl ...

as Leader of the Seanad and Leader of Fine Gael in the Seanad. He was an unsuccessful candidate for Cork South-Central at the 2020 general election. He was re-elected to the Seanad in 2020. He was appointed

of Seanad Éireann on 7 July 2020. Following his involvement in the Oireachtas Golf Society scandal ("golfgate"), Buttimer resigned as Leas-Cathaoirleach on 21 August 2020. Buttimer and 80 others attended a golf function and dinner the previous day. At the time it was suggested it was in breach of government

COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. In January 2020, the disease spread worldwide, resulting in the COVID-19 pandemic. The symptoms of COVID‑19 can vary but often include fever ...

guidelines. Buttimer's role in the matter was heavily criticised, as previously Buttimer has been highly critical of those he perceived as not keeping to government guidelines. In April 2020 he had accused broadcaster

Ivan Yates Ivan Yates (born 23 October 1959) is an Irish broadcaster, businessman and former politician. He was elected as a Fine Gael Teachta Dála (TD) for the Wexford constituency at the 1981 general election and at each election until his retirement ...

of "irresponsible behaviour", telling him that public health measures were "about saving lives... not socialising". In June, he had suggested

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (; born 8 February 1989) is an Irish Sinn Féin politician who has been a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Cork South-Central constituency since the 2016 general election. Ó Laoghaire is from Togher, Cork. As a youth, he w ...

was "happy to abandon public health advice". Buttimer also lost the

party whip A whip is an official of a political party whose task is to ensure party discipline (that members of the party vote according to the party platform rather than their constituents, individual conscience or donors) in a legislature. Whips a ...

as part of his sanction. The party unanimously voted to restore the whip to Buttimer in January 2021. He was elected as

on 16 December 2022. At the 2024 general election, Buttimer was elected to the Dáil. On 29 January 2025, he was appointed as Minister of State at the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht with special responsibility for community development, charities, Gaeltacht and the islands and as Minister of State at the Department of Transport with special responsibility for rural transport.

Personal life

In April 2012, Buttimer came out as gay, the first Fine Gael TD to do so, saying: "I am a TD who just happens to be gay – it is just one little composition of the story that is me and I will continue to be the politician I was yesterday." He married Conchobar Ó Laoghaire in December 2017. He was the first chair of Fine Gael LGBT.

References

External links

*
Jerry Buttimer's page on the Fine Gael website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Buttimer, Jerry 1967 births Living people Alumni of University College Cork Alumni of St Patrick's College, Maynooth Fine Gael TDs Fine Gael senators Irish gay politicians Irish schoolteachers LGBTQ conservatism LGBTQ legislators in Ireland Members of Cork City Council Members of the 23rd Seanad Members of the 25th Seanad Members of the 26th Seanad Members of the 31st Dáil 20th-century Irish LGBTQ people 21st-century Irish LGBTQ people Fine Gael local councillors Labour Panel senators Members of the 34th Dáil Ministers of State of the 34th Dáil