Patrick O'Donovan (born 21 March 1977) is an Irish Fine Gael politician who has served as a Minister of State since May 2016. He has been a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Limerick County constituency since 2016, and from 2011 to 2016 for the Limerick constituency.[1]

Patrick O'Donovan
O'Donovan in 2020
Minister of State
2022–Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media
2017–Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform
2017–2020Finance
2016–2017Transport, Tourism and Sport
Teachta Dála
Assumed office
February 2016
ConstituencyLimerick County
In office
February 2011 – February 2016
ConstituencyLimerick
Personal details
Born (1977-03-21) 21 March 1977 (age 47)
Limerick, Ireland
Political partyFine Gael
Spouse
Eileen Keary
(m. 2014)
Children1
Alma mater
Websitepatrickodonovan.ie

He was a member of Limerick County Council for the Newcastle West local electoral area from 2003 to 2011.[1][2]

In January 2014, he called for "tougher controls on the use of open source internet browsers and payment systems" which he claimed allowed users to remain anonymous in the illegal trade of drugs, weapons and pornography.[3][4]

On 19 May 2016, he was appointed by the new government formed after the February 2016 election led by Enda Kenny as Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport with responsibility for Tourism and Sport.[5] On 20 June 2017, he was appointed by the new government led by Leo Varadkar as Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and at the Department of Finance with responsibility for Public Procurement, Open Government and eGovernment.[6] On 1 July 2020, he was appointed by the new government formed after the February 2020 election led by Micheál Martin as Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, with responsibility for the Office of Public Works.[7]

In August 2017, he claimed in an interview with the Sunday Independent, that the Provisional IRA were responsible for the Dublin and Monaghan bombings.[8] Fine Gael declined to comment on the matter.[9]

In December 2022, he was re-appointed to the same position, as well as Minister of State at the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media with special responsibility for the Gaeltacht following the appointment of Leo Varadkar as Taoiseach.[10]

On 29 June 2023 he was hospitalised after collapsing in the chamber of Dáil Éireann.[11][12] Ten weeks later he had recovered sufficiently to resume his post.[13]

References edit

  1. ^ a b "Patrick O'Donovan". ElectionsIreland.org. Archived from the original on 16 October 2011. Retrieved 13 October 2011.
  2. ^ "Patrick O'Donovan". Oireachtas Members Database. Archived from the original on 28 March 2019. Retrieved 13 October 2011.
  3. ^ "O'Donovan calls for crackdown on internet browsers and payment systems which facilitate illegal activity". Fine Gael website. Archived from the original on 15 January 2014. Retrieved 14 January 2014.
  4. ^ "Down with This Sort of Thing: TD Calls for Crackdown on "Open Source Browsers"". technology.ie. Archived from the original on 16 January 2014. Retrieved 14 January 2014.
  5. ^ "Appointment of Ministers of State – Dáil Éireann (32nd Dáil)". Houses of the Oireachtas. 19 May 2016. Archived from the original on 24 December 2020. Retrieved 20 September 2019.
  6. ^ "Appointment of Members of Government and Ministers of State – Dáil Éireann (32nd Dáil)". Houses of the Oireachtas. 20 June 2017. Archived from the original on 23 December 2020. Retrieved 14 January 2020.
  7. ^ "Appointment of Ministers and Ministers of State – Dáil Éireann (33rd Dáil)". Houses of the Oireachtas. 7 July 2020. Archived from the original on 9 July 2020. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
  8. ^ "FF voters are alarmed by talk of SF deal". Sunday Independent. Archived from the original on 25 September 2017. Retrieved 13 September 2017.
  9. ^ Halpin, Hayley (28 August 2017). "'It's ignorance': Sinn Féin calls for apology after junior minister blames party for Dublin-Monaghan bombing". thejournal.ie. Archived from the original on 2 September 2017. Retrieved 13 September 2017.
  10. ^ "Minister of State appointments". gov.ie. Department of the Taoiseach. 21 December 2022. Retrieved 21 December 2022.
  11. ^ "Limerick OPW Minister falls ill during questions in Dáil chamber". 29 June 2023.
  12. ^ "Minister brought to hospital after taking ill in Dáil". Business Post.
  13. ^ O'Regan, Donal (8 September 2023). "'I got a huge fright': Limerick TD resumes ministerial role after health scare". Limerick Leader. Retrieved 8 September 2023.

External links edit

Political offices
New office Minister of State at the Department of Transport
2016–2017
Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister of State at the Department of Finance
2017–2020
Succeeded by
Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform
2017–present
Incumbent
Preceded by Minister of State at the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media
2022–present