G. V. Wright

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Thomas Wright, usually referred to by the nickname G.V., (born August 1947) is an Irish Fianna Fáil politician. He is currently a Teachta Dála for the constituency of Dublin North, but intends to stand down at the next general election.

G.V. Wright was born in Dublin in 1947. He was educated Chanel College, Coolock in Dublin before becoming a food retailer. In his youth Wright was a Gaelic footballer with Dublin and a former international basketball player and coach. In 1982 he first became involved in politics when he was elected to Seanad Éireann. He remained there until 1983, however, he returned to politics in 1985 as a member of Dublin County Council. He remained there until 2004 and is among those named by lobbyist Frank Dunlop at the investigating Mahon tribunal as receiving donations from property developers.

Wright was first elected to Dáil Éireann at the 1987 general election. He lost his seat in 1989 but returned to the Seanad where he served as Leader of Seanad Éireann (1991-1994) and Leader of Fianna Fáil in Seanad Éireann (1994-1997). During this time he failed again to get back to the Dáil. Wright was re-elected to the Dáil at the 1997 general election and held his seat in another election in 2002. In September 2003 a car driven by Wright, on his way home from Leinster House collided with a woman pedestrian at North Strand in Dublin, causing multiple fractures to her leg. Tests confirmed that Wright's blood-alcohol level was above the legal limit. As a result he was fined and banned from driving for two years.