Kevin Kiely is an Irish politician and former Mayor of Limerick from 2009–10.[1] He was made a Peace Commissioner in 1983 by the then Fine Gael Minister for Justice, Michael Noonan.[2] He is a member of Fine Gael.[2] He was first elected to Limerick City Council in 1985.[2] He was re-elected to the council in June 2009.[2] He is a member of the Governing Authority of the University of Limerick.[2] He is Chairman of Limerick City Council Joint Policing and a former Chairman of Limerick City Council Future Planning.[2] He is married with two children.[2]
In November 2009 he called for unemployed European Union nationals to be deported from Ireland.[3] His views led to a debate over racism.[4] This was part of a broader controversy surrounding racist comments from Fine Gael members in Limerick.http://www.limerickleader.ie/news/local/fg_candidates_accused_of_racism_1_2189072
In March 2010 he called for a change to the law which bans selling alcohol on Good Friday and Christmas Day at a time when a rugby match was due to take place in Limerick city.[5]
Shortly before leaving office in June 2010 he again was the subject of national news when he called for the re-introduction of capital punishment.[6][7]
He left Fine Gael, over the party's failure to select him as a candidate for the Irish general election, 2011. He unsuccessfully ran as an Independent candidate for the constituency of Limerick City.[8]