Paddy Power (Irish politician)

Patrick "Paddy" Power (19 November 1928 – 14 August 2013) was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician.

A national schoolteacher before entering politics, he was first elected to Dáil Éireann as a Fianna Fáil Teachta Dála (TD) for the Kildare constituency at the 1969 general election.

He served as Minister for Fisheries and Forestry from 1979 to June 1981 and Minister for Defence in the government of March to December 1982. He was briefly Minister for Trade, Commerce and Tourism in October 1982 following the resignation of Desmond O'Malley to challenge for the leadership of the party. He was also a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) from 1977 to 1979.

Power retired from politics at the 1989 general election. His son, Seán Power is a former TD and Minister of State. Another son, J. J. Power, served as a Green Party councillor on Kildare County Council. He died on 14 August 2013 in Caragh, County Kildare. He had no connection with the Irish bookmakers of the same name.

See also

• Families in the Oireachtas

References

Political offices
Preceded by Brian Lenihan	Minister for Fisheries and Forestry 1979–1981	Succeeded by Tom Fitzpatrick
Preceded by James Tully	Minister for Defence 1982	Succeeded by Patrick Cooney
Preceded by Desmond O'Malley	Minister for Trade, Commerce and Tourism 1982	Succeeded by Pádraig Flynn