Tom McEllistrim, Jnr

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For other persons named Tom McEllistrim, see Tom McEllistrim (disambiguation).

Thomas (Tom) McEllistrim, Jr (15 January 1932 - 25 February 2000) was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician.

Born in Boherbee, County Kerry in 1932, McEllistrim was the son of the sitting Fianna Fáil Teachta Dála and War of Independence veteran, Tom McEllistrim, Snr. McEllistrim the younger succeeded his father by being elected to Dáil Éireann at the 1969 General Election. In the 1977 General Election McEllistrim was elected along with his running mate Kit Ahern. This was the first time that Fianna Fáil had won two seats in the three seat constituency of Kerry North. McEllistrim, who was given much credit for this feat, was disappointed not to receive a promotion to a Junior Ministry.

McEllistrim became disillusioned with the Taoiseach and party leader Jack Lynch from then and began to believe that Charles Haughey was the right candidate for the party leadership. McEllistrim believed that Lynch was about to retire and was particularly uncomfortable at the thought of George Colley succeeding Lynch. Like his father before him he believed Colley was not right for the role of leader of the party. McEllistrim was particularly vocal with regard to party policy towards Northern Ireland and, as he saw it, Lynch's apparent lack of sympathy towards the northern nationalist community.

McEllistrim was a member of the so-called "gang of five" along with Seán Doherty, Mark Killilea, Jnr, Jackie Fahey and Albert Reynolds who started a lobbying campaign in favour of Haughey on the back benches of the party. After Lynch lost two by-elections in his native Cork he resigned as party leader in December 1979. The leadership contest was called two days and was a two-horse race between Haughey and Colley. Haughey won the leadership contest by a decisive margin and McEllistrim was rewarded by being appointed Minister of State at the Department of Finance with special responsibility for the Office of Public Works. He served as a Minister of State again in 1982, this time at the Department of Fisheries and Forestry.

McEllistrim lost his seat at the 1987 General Election by four votes to Dick Spring. After being nominated to Seanad Éireann he regained his seat at the 1989 General Election but did not retain it in 1992 General Election when he lost to constituency colleague Denis Foley.

McEllistrim died aged 68 on 25 February 2000. His son, Tom McEllistrim III, was elected to his father's old seat in Kerry North at the 2002 General Election.