Batt O'Keeffe

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Batt O'Keeffe 
TD
Incumbent
Assumed office 
7 May 2008
Taoiseach Brian Cowen
Preceded by Mary Hanafin
Teachta Dála for
Cork North West
Incumbent
Assumed office 
24 May 2007
Preceded by Donal Moynihan
Born 2 April 1945 (1945-04-02) (age 63)
Cullen, County Cork, Ireland
Political party Fianna Fáil
Alma mater University College Cork
Occupation Lecturer
Religion Roman Catholic

Bartholomew "Batt" O'Keeffe (born 2 April 1945), is an Irish Fianna Fáil politician. He is a Teachta Dála (TD) for Cork North West and is currently the Minister for Education and Science.

O'Keeffe was born in Cullen, County Cork. He was educated at St. Brendan's, Killarney , County Kerry and at University College Cork where he received a Bachelor of Arts. O'Keeffe worked as a Lecturer in Cork Institute of Technology before becoming involved in politics. He also had a sporting career. O'Keeffe is the holder of 3 Munster Gaelic Athletic Association medals with Cork at Under 21, Junior and Senior level. He was also a Cork Intermediate Handball Champion. In 1985 he was elected to Cork County Council.

In the 1987 general election O'Keeffe was first elected to Dáil Éireann, serving in the 25th Dáil. He lost his seat to Micheál Martin in the 1989 general election but he was subsequently elected to Seanad Éireann where he was Spokesperson on Finance. In the 1992 general election O'Keeffe was re-elected to the Dáil and has been re-elected at each subsequent election. Between 1995 and 1997 O'Keeffe was Opposition Spokesperson on Transport & Communications. He has also served on a number of committees including the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children, the Public Accounts Committee and the Sustainable Development Committee. In Bertie Ahern's Cabinet reshuffle of 2004 O'Keeffe was appointed as Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government with special responsibility for Environmental Protection.

In 2006 O'Keeffe was selected unopposed to contest the 2007 general election in the re-drawn Cork North West constituency along with Michael Moynihan and Donal Moynihan. O'Keeffe was successfully elected though his party colleague Donal Moynihan lost his seat. In 2007 O'Keeffe was appointed as Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government with special responsibility for Housing and Urban Renewal. In 2008, when Brian Cowen became Taoiseach, O'Keeffe was appointed as Minister for Education and Science.

[edit] References

This page incorporates information from the Batt O'Keeffe entry in the Oireachtas Members Database

[edit] External links

[edit] See also

Oireachtas
Preceded by
Gene FitzGerald		 Fianna Fáil Teachta Dála for Cork South Central
1987–1989		 Succeeded by
Micheál Martin
Preceded by
John Dennehy		 Fianna Fáil Teachta Dála for Cork South Central
1992–2007		 Succeeded by
Michael McGrath
Preceded by
Donal Moynihan		 Fianna Fáil Teachta Dála for Cork North West
2007–present		 Incumbent
Political offices
Preceded by
Pat "the Cope" Gallagher		 Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government
(with special responsibility for Environmental Protection)
2004–2007		 Succeeded by
Office abolished
Preceded by
Noel Ahern		 Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government
(with special responsibility for Housing & Urban Renewal)
2007–2008		 Succeeded by
Michael Finneran
Preceded by
Mary Hanafin		 Minister for Education and Science
2008–present		 Incumbent
Languages