Tom Barry (born 10 October 1968) is a former Irish

Fine Gael Fine Gael (, ; English: "Family (or Tribe) of the Irish") is a liberal-conservative and 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 � ...

politician who served as a

Teachta Dála A Teachta Dála ( , ; plural ), abbreviated as TD (plural ''TDanna'' in Irish, TDs in English), is a member of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas (the Irish Parliament). It is the equivalent of terms such as ''Member of Parli ...

(TD) for the Cork East constituency from 2011 to 2016.

Private life and career

Barry is a native of

Killavullen Killavullen () is a village on the river Munster Blackwater, Blackwater, in County Cork, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. The village is located just south of the N72 road, N72 national secondary road, road, between Mallow, County Cork, Mallow and ...

County Cork County Cork ( ga, Contae Chorcaí) is the largest and the southernmost county of Ireland, named after the city of Cork, the state's second-largest city. It is in the province of Munster and the Southern Region. Its largest market towns are ...

. He is a graduate in Biochemistry from

University College Cork University College Cork – National University of Ireland, Cork (UCC) ( ga, Coláiste na hOllscoile Corcaigh) is a constituent university of the National University of Ireland, and located in Cork. The university was founded in 1845 as one of ...

(UCC). He is the founder and CEO of a grain drying and warehousing business in his home village of Killavullen. He is also a tillage farmer. He is married to Kathy Quane, a lecturer of Anatomy in UCC's School of Medicine and Health and they have three children.

Political career

He was formerly a member of

Cork County Council Cork County Council ( ga, Comhairle Contae Chorcaí) is the authority responsible for local government in County Cork, Ireland. As a county council, it is governed by the Local Government Act 2001. The council is responsible for housing and co ...

for the Mallow local electoral area. He was elected as a Fine Gael TD for the Cork East constituency at the 2011 general election on his first attempt. In May 2013, he wrote to Cardinal Seán Brady and the Papal nuncio Charles John Brown asking whether he would be excommunicated if he voted for the '' Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013''. Two months later, in July, Barry was seen on an

Oireachtas The Oireachtas (, ), sometimes referred to as Oireachtas Éireann, is the Bicameralism, bicameral parliament of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. The Oireachtas consists of: *The President of Ireland *The bicameralism, two houses of the Oireachtas ...

television broadcast pulling his Fine Gael colleague Deputy Áine Collins onto his lap during a parliamentary debate. Barry later apologised publicly for his behaviour, saying he had been drinking earlier at the Dáil bar (a bar in the Irish parliament), and the Fine Gael party and his wife condemned his behaviour. He lost his seat at the 2016 general election.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Barry, Tom 1968 births Living people Alumni of University College Cork Fine Gael TDs 20th-century Irish farmers Local councillors in County Cork Members of the 31st Dáil Politicians from County Cork 21st-century Irish farmers