Jerry Buttimer
Jerry Buttimer (born 18 March 1967) is an Irish Fine Gael politician who has been a Senator for the Labour Panel since 2016, previously from 2007 to 2011. He served as Leader of Seanad Éireann and Leader of Fine Gael in the Seanad from 2016 to 2020. He served as a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Cork South-Central constituency from 2011 to 2016.[1]
Jerry Buttimer | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Leas-Chathaoirleach of Seanad Éireann | |
| Assumed office 7 July 2020 | |
| Taoiseach | Micheál Martin |
| Cathaoirleach | Mark Daly |
| Leader of Seanad Éireann | |
| In office 8 June 2016 – 27 June 2020 | |
| Preceded by | Maurice Cummins |
| Succeeded by | Regina Doherty |
| Leader of Fine Gael in the Seanad | |
| In office 8 June 2016 – 27 June 2020 | |
| Leader | Enda Kenny Leo Varadkar |
| Preceded by | Maurice Cummins |
| Senator | |
| Assumed office April 2016 | |
| In office July 2007 – February 2011 | |
| Constituency | Labour Panel |
| Teachta Dála | |
| In office February 2011 – February 2016 | |
| Constituency | Cork South-Central |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Gerard Martin Buttimer 18 March 1967 Bishopstown, Cork, Ireland |
| Nationality | Irish |
| Political party | Fine Gael |
| Spouse(s) | Conchobar Ó Laoghaire (m. 2017) |
| Alma mater | |
| Website | jerrybuttimer |
He studied for the priesthood for six years at St Patrick's College, Maynooth as a candidate for the Diocese of Cork and Ross. He was a classmate of Bishop Fintan Monahan of Killaloe.
He was first elected to Cork City Council in 2004. He was an unsuccessful candidate at the 2007 general election for the Cork South-Central constituency, but was subsequently elected to the Seanad.[2] He was Fine Gael Seanad spokesperson on Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs in the 23rd Seanad. He is a former Secondary School teacher and was Director of Adult Education at Ballincollig Community School.
In April 2012, Buttimer came out as gay, the first Fine Gael TD to do so, saying: "I am a TD who just happens to be gay – it is just one little composition of the story that is me and I will continue to be the politician I was yesterday."
He is chair of the Fine Gael LGBT group.[3]
He was critical of the 2012 boundary commission report, which transferred the areas of Bishopstown and Glasheen from the Cork South–Central constituency to Cork North-Central. Both areas were considered his political base in the constituency.[4] Despite predictions that he would move to Cork North-Central at the next election, he announced in August 2012 that he would contest the next election in Cork South-Central.[5]
He lost his seat at the 2016 general election.[2] After his election as a member of Seanad Éireann in April 2016, he was appointed by the Taoiseach as Leader of Seanad Éireann and Leader of Fine Gael in the Seanad. He was an unsuccessful candidate for Cork South-Central at the 2020 general election. He was re-elected to the Seanad in 2020. He has been Leas-Chathaoirleach of Seanad Éireann since 7 July 2020.
References
- "Jerry Buttimer". Oireachtas Members Database. Retrieved 22 February 2010.
- "Jerry Buttimer". ElectionsIreland.org. Retrieved 22 February 2010.
- "Cork Fine Gael deputy Jerry Buttimer comes out saying: I'm a TD who just happens to be gay". Irish Independent. 30 April 2012. Retrieved 30 April 2012.
- "Buttimer criticises boundary changes". Irish Examiner. 23 June 2012. Retrieved 7 August 2012.
- "Jerry Buttimer to stay in Cork South-Central". Evening Echo. 7 August 2012. Archived from the original on 8 March 2014. Retrieved 7 August 2012.
External links
| Oireachtas | ||
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| Preceded by Deirdre Clune (Fine Gael) |
Fine Gael Teachta Dála for Cork South-Central 2011–2016 |
Succeeded by Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Sinn Féin) |
Authority control  |
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