Michael P. Kitt

Michael Paschal Kitt (born 17 May 1950) is an Irish Fianna Fáil politician. He is a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Galway East constituency,^[1] and is the Leas-Cheann Comhairle (Deputy Chairman) of Dáil Éireann.^[2]

Born in Tuam, County Galway, Kitt was educated St. Jarlath's College, Tuam; St Patrick's College of Education, Dublin; University College Dublin and University College Galway. He qualified as a teacher before becoming involved in politics.

In 1975, following the death of his father, Michael Kitt, Snr, he was elected to succeed his father on Galway County Council. In the Galway North–East by-election on 4 March he was elected to the 20th Dáil, being returned on the first count with a 7% majority over the Fine Gael candidate Paul Connaughton, Snr.

Kitt lost his Dáil seat at the 1977 general election but was subsequently elected to Seanad Éireann by the Administrative Panel, serving until 1981 as a member of the 14th Seanad. He was re-elected to the Dáil at the 1981 general election for the new Galway East and retained his seat until 2002.^[3]

During this period he served as a Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach for three months from November 1991 to February 1992. He lost his Dáil seat at the 2002 general election but was subsequently nominated by the Taoiseach to serve as a member of the 22nd Seanad. He was re-elected to the Dáil at the 2007 general election. In June 2007, he was appointed as Minister of State for Overseas Development. In May 2008, he was appointed as Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government (with special responsibility for Local Services). He served in this position until April 2009 when he was dropped in a reshuffle.

Michael Kitt comes from a family with a strong political background. He is a son of Michael Kitt, Snr, who was a TD for various Galway constituencies (1948–1951 and 1957–1975), and a brother of Tom Kitt, a former TD for Dublin South, and of Áine Brady, a former TD for Kildare North. His brother-in-law Gerry Brady also served as TD for Kildare in 1982.

On 31 March 2011, he was appointed as the Leas-Cheann Comhairle of Dáil Éireann by the Taoiseach Enda Kenny.^[2]

He is currently the Fianna Fáil spokesperson on Housing, Planning and Gaeltacht Affairs.

See also

• Families in the Oireachtas

References

External links

• Official website
• Michael P. Kitt's page on the Fianna Fáil website