Paddy O'Toole
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Patrick O'Toole (15 January 1938 – 11 May 2025) was an Irish Fine Gael politician.
O'Toole was nominated by the Taoiseach Liam Cosgrave to the 13th Seanad in 1973. He was elected to Dáil Éireann on his second attempt at the 1977 general election as a Fine Gael Teachta Dála for Mayo East. O'Toole was one of just a handful of new Fine Gael TDs in the biggest landslide election victory for Fianna Fáil.
He served in both cabinets of Garret FitzGerald in the 1980s, as Minister for the Gaeltacht (1981–1982, 1982–1987), Minister for Tourism, Fisheries and Forestry (1982–1986, 1987) and Minister for Defence (1986–1987). He retained his Dáil seat at each general election until losing it at the 1987 general election. He was nominated to the 17th Seanad to fill a vacancy after the general election. He then retired from politics.
O'Toole died on 11 May 2025, at the age of 87.
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded byMáire Geoghegan-Quinn | Minister for the Gaeltacht 1981–1982 | Succeeded byPádraig Flynn |
| Preceded byDenis Gallagher | Minister for the Gaeltacht 1982–1987 | Succeeded byCharles Haughey |
| Preceded byBrendan Daly | Minister for Fisheries and Forestry 1982–1986 | Succeeded byLiam Kavanagh |
| Preceded byPatrick Cooney | Minister for Defence 1986–1987 | Succeeded byMichael J. Noonan |
| Preceded byLiam Kavanagh | Minister for Tourism, Fisheries and Forestry 1987 | Succeeded byBrendan Daly |