Michael P. Kitt

Michael P. Kitt TD
Leas-Cheann Comhairle
Incumbent
Assumed office 31 March 2011
Preceded by	Brendan Howlin
Teachta Dála
Incumbent
Assumed office May 2007
In office June 1981 – May 2002
Constituency	Galway East
In office March 1975 – June 1977
Constituency	Galway North–East
Senator
In office September 2002 – May 2007
Constituency	Nominated by the Taoiseach
In office October 1977 – June 1981
Constituency	Administrative Panel
Personal details
Born	(1950-05-17) 17 May 1950 Tuam, County Galway
Nationality	Irish
Political party	Fianna Fáil
Alma mater	St Patrick's College of Education, Dublin, University College Galway, University College Dublin
Website	www.michaelkitt.com

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

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.

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.

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

He is not contesting the 2016 general election.

See also

• Families in the Oireachtas

External links

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

Oireachtas
Preceded by Michael F. Kitt (Fianna Fáil)	Fianna Fáil Teachta Dála for Galway North–East 1975–1977	Constituency abolished
Preceded by Thomas Hussey (Fianna Fáil)	Fianna Fáil Teachta Dála for Galway East 1981–2002	Succeeded by Joe Callanan (Fianna Fáil)
Preceded by Joe Callanan (Fianna Fáil)	Fianna Fáil Teachta Dála for Galway East 2007–present	Incumbent
Political offices
Preceded by Conor Lenihan	Minister of State for Overseas Development 2007–2008	Succeeded by Peter Power
New office	Minister of State for Local Services 2008–2009	Succeeded by Michael Finneran
Preceded by Brendan Howlin	Leas-Cheann Comhairle of Dáil Éireann 2011–present	Incumbent