Thomas Fitzgerald (25 March 1939 – 7 June 2013) was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician who served for 13 years in Seanad Éireann. A native of Lispole, and formerly a fisherman in Dingle, Fitzgerald was a member of

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

from 1979 to 1985. In 1977 he stood unsuccessfully for the

11th Seanad This is a list of the members of the 11th Seanad Éireann, the upper house of the Oireachtas (legislature) of Ireland. These Senators were elected or appointed in 1965, after the 1965 general election and served until the close of poll for the ...

, but was elected by the Agricultural Panel to the

15th Seanad This is a list of the members of the 15th Seanad Éireann, the upper house of the Oireachtas (legislature) of Ireland. These Senators were elected or appointed in 1981, after the 1981 general election and served until the close of poll for ...

, and in the February 1982 general election he stood as a candidate in the Kerry South constituency, but failed to win a seat, and did not stand for the Dáil again. He was then re-elected by the Agricultural Panel, to the

16th Seanad This is a list of the members of the 16th Seanad Éireann, the upper house of the Oireachtas (legislature) of Ireland. These Senators were elected or appointed in 1982, after the February 1982 general election and served until the close of poll ...

, but was defeated in the 1983 election to the

17th Seanad This is a list of the members of the 17th Seanad Éireann, the upper house of the Oireachtas (legislature) of Ireland. These Senators were elected or appointed in 1983, after the November 1982 general election and served until the close of pol ...

. He was returned in 1987 to the

18th Seanad This is a list of the members of the 18th Seanad Éireann, the upper house of the Oireachtas (legislature) of Ireland. These Senators were elected or appointed in 1987, after the 1987 general election and served until the close of poll for the ...

, and held his seat at the next two elections before a further defeat in the 1997 election, after which he was

nominated by the Taoiseach A candidate, or nominee, is the prospective recipient of an award or honor, or a person seeking or being considered for some kind of position; for example: * to be elected to an office — in this case a candidate selection procedure occurs. * t ...

to the

21st Seanad This is a list of the members of the 21st Seanad Éireann, the upper house of the Oireachtas (legislature) of Ireland. Unless otherwise indicated, these Senators were elected or appointed in 1997, after the 1997 general election and served unt ...

. He served as the Government's

chief whip The Chief Whip is a political leader whose task is to enforce the whipping system, which aims to ensure that legislators who are members of a political party attend and vote on legislation as the party leadership prescribes. United Kingdom ...

in the Seanad, but resigned from his seat on 4 April 2002, due to ill-health. A good friend and strong supporter of controversial Fianna Fáil leader Charles Haughey, Fitzgerald cried when Haughey resigned as Taoiseach in 1992.

References

1939 births 2013 deaths Fianna Fáil senators Members of the 15th Seanad Members of the 16th Seanad Members of the 18th Seanad Members of the 19th Seanad Members of the 20th Seanad Members of the 21st Seanad Politicians from County Kerry Nominated members of Seanad Éireann People from Dingle Fianna Fáil candidates in Dáil elections Agricultural Panel senators {{Ireland-senator-stub