Alan Dillon

{{Infobox officeholder

| honorific-suffix = TD

| image = Alan Dillon, Dec 2024 (54209743492) (cropped).jpg

| caption = Dillon in 2024

| office = Minister of State

| suboffice = Enterprise, Tourism and Employment

| subterm = 2025–

| suboffice1 = Climate, Environment and Energy

| subterm1 = 2025–

| suboffice2 = Housing, Local Government and Heritage

| subterm2 = 2024–2025

| office3 = Teachta Dála

| term_start3 = February 2020

| term_end3 =

| constituency3 = Mayo

| office4 = Chair of the Fine Gael parliamentary party

| leader4 = {{ubl|Leo Varadkar|Simon Harris}}

| term_start4 = 25 October 2023

| term_end4 = 17 April 2024

| predecessor4 = Richard Bruton

| successor4 = Alan Farrell

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1982|9|28|df=y}}

| birth_place = Castlebar, County Mayo, Ireland

| death_date =

| death_place =

| party = Fine Gael

| spouse = {{marriage|Ashling Dillon|2016}}

| children = 2

| education = Davitt College

| alma_mater = {{Ubl|NUI Galway|Maynooth University|RCSI}}

| website = {{URL|alandillon.ie}}

| module = {{Infobox Gaelic games player

| embed = yes

| image =

| height = {{convert|1.81|m|ftin|0|abbr=on}}

| sport = Gaelic football

| code = Football

| county = Mayo

| province = Connacht

| club = Ballintubber

| clyears = 1999–

| clposition = Centre forward

| clapps(points) =

| clcounty = 5

| clprovince =

| clallireland =

| counties = Mayo

| icyears = 2003–2017

| icposition = Left half forward

| icapps(points) = 134 (3–225)

| icprovince = 8

| icallireland =

| nfl =

| allstars = 2

| clupdate =

| icupdate = 28 November 2017

}}}}

Alan Dillon (born 28 September 1982) is an Irish Fine Gael politician who has been a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Mayo constituency since the 2020 general election.{{cite web |title=Alan Dillon |url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/members/member/Alan-Dillon.D.2020-02-08/ |work=Oireachtas Members Database |access-date=15 February 2020 |archive-date=15 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200215203055/https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/members/member/Alan-Dillon.D.2020-02-08/ |url-status=live}}

Prior to entering politics, he was a two-time All Star winning Gaelic footballer who captained the senior Mayo county team.{{cite web |title=Dillon to captain Mayo |url=http://www.hoganstand.com/ArticleForm.aspx?ID=146597 |website=Hogan Stand |date=20 May 2011 |access-date=27 May 2011 |archive-date=7 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131007050527/http://www.hoganstand.com/ArticleForm.aspx?ID=146597 |url-status=live}}

Personal life

He is married to Ashling Dillon, and they have two sons. Dillon attended Davitt College in Castlebar for his secondary school education.{{Cite web |title=Alan Dillon, the man who made it look easy |url=http://www.mayonews.ie/sports/31206-alan-dillon-the-man-who-made-it-look-easy |website=Mayo News |access-date=16 December 2017 |archive-date=17 December 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171217014314/http://www.mayonews.ie/sports/31206-alan-dillon-the-man-who-made-it-look-easy |url-status=live}} He studied at NUI Galway,{{cite news |title=NUI Galway students and alumni head for Croke Park with Mayo senior football finalists |url=https://www.nuigalway.ie/about-us/news-and-events/news-archive/2013/september2013/nui-galway-students-and-alumni-head-for-croke-park-with-mayo-senior-football-finalists-.html |website=NUI Galway |date=17 September 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161217102433/https://www.nuigalway.ie/about-us/news-and-events/news-archive/2013/september2013/nui-galway-students-and-alumni-head-for-croke-park-with-mayo-senior-football-finalists-.html |archive-date=17 December 2016}} and played for the university football team.{{cite news |title=Gardiner digs deep to bury IT Sligo |url=https://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/gaelic-football/gardiner-digs-deep-to-bury-it-sligo-26705879.html |work=Irish Independent |date=18 February 2011 |access-date=18 February 2011 |archive-date=25 November 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181125115742/https://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/gaelic-football/gardiner-digs-deep-to-bury-it-sligo-26705879.html |url-status=live}} Dillon has a MSc in Pharmaceutical Science from the Royal College of Surgeons Ireland, a Postgraduate Diploma in Education from NUI Galway, and a BSc in Applied Mathematics and Biology from Maynooth University.{{cite web |title=Alan Dillon |url=https://election2020.finegael.ie/candidates/alan-dillon |website=Fine Gael |access-date=10 February 2020 |archive-date=9 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200209035513/https://election2020.finegael.ie/candidates/alan-dillon |url-status=live}} Dillon has also participated in a marketing campaign for Ireland West Airport.{{cite news |date=13 May 2013 |title=Donegal GAA stars join forces as Ambassadors for Ireland West Airport Knock |newspaper=Donegal Democrat |url=http://www.donegaldemocrat.ie/lifestyle/home-and-garden/donegal-gaa-stars-join-forces-as-ambassadors-for-ireland-west-airport-knock-1-5086123 |url-status=dead |access-date=13 May 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210923205401/https://www.donegallive.ie/news/arts-culture-entertainment/40570/Donegal-GAA-stars-join-forces-as.html |archive-date=23 September 2021}}

Gaelic football career

Dillon played football with his local club Ballintubber in County Mayo and was a pivotal member of the senior Mayo county team from 2003 until his retirement in 2017, playing in six All-Ireland finals. His fine-tuned skill, his sharp roving eye and his clever reading of the game all contribute to his exceptional footballing abilities. Dillon won his first All Star award in 2006{{cite web |title=Champions Kerry top All Star list |url=http://www.rte.ie/sport/2006/1122/allstars.html |website=RTÉ |date=22 November 2006 |access-date=27 May 2011 |archive-date=8 February 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070208140308/http://www.rte.ie/sport/2006/1122/allstars.html |url-status=live}} and a second All Star award in 2012.

On 28 November 2017, Dillon announced his retirement from inter-county football.{{cite web |title=Eight-time Connacht champion Alan Dillon calls time on his Mayo career |url=http://www.the42.ie/alan-dillon-retires-inter-county-football-mayo-3720108-Nov2017/ |work=The 42 |date=27 November 2017 |access-date=28 November 2017 |archive-date=30 November 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171130185950/http://www.the42.ie/alan-dillon-retires-inter-county-football-mayo-3720108-Nov2017/ |url-status=live}}{{Cite news |last=Murphy |first=Ciaran |title=Ciarán Murphy: Alan Dillon leaves knowing he gave it his all |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/gaelic-games/ciar%C3%A1n-murphy-alan-dillon-leaves-knowing-he-gave-it-his-all-1.3309787 |newspaper=The Irish Times |access-date=29 November 2017 |archive-date=1 December 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201032659/https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/gaelic-games/ciar%C3%A1n-murphy-alan-dillon-leaves-knowing-he-gave-it-his-all-1.3309787 |url-status=live}}{{Cite web |title=Alan Dillon calls it a day with Mayo |url=https://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/2017/1128/923311-alan-dillon-calls-it-a-day-with-mayo/ |website=RTÉ |date=28 November 2017 |access-date=29 November 2017 |archive-date=1 December 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201080802/https://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/2017/1128/923311-alan-dillon-calls-it-a-day-with-mayo/ |url-status=live}}

Political career

Following his retirement from inter-county football in 2017, there was much speculation that Dillon would succeed former Taoiseach Enda Kenny as a Fine Gael candidate for Mayo.{{Cite web |last=Finn |first=Christina |date=1 December 2017 |title=Mayo GAA star lined up for general election bid to replace Enda Kenny |url=https://www.thejournal.ie/alan-dillon-fine-gael-3727918-Dec2017/ |website=The Journal |access-date=16 February 2020 |archive-date=16 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200216045707/https://www.thejournal.ie/alan-dillon-fine-gael-3727918-Dec2017/ |url-status=live}}{{Cite web |title=Fine Gael and Alan Dillon in talks about surprise General Election bid |url=http://www.mayonews.ie/news/31209-fine-gael-and-footballer-alan-dillon-in-talks-about-surprise-general-election-bid-2 |website=Mayo News |date=30 November 2017 |access-date=14 April 2018 |archive-date=14 April 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180414170316/http://www.mayonews.ie/news/31209-fine-gael-and-footballer-alan-dillon-in-talks-about-surprise-general-election-bid-2 |url-status=live}} He has numerous links to Fine Gael, an aunt having been Enda Kenny's Castlebar secretary and her husband being Kenny's driver and a county councillor.{{Cite web |last=Shannon |first=Kieran |date=24 February 2018 |title=Alan Dillon: Bring our people home |url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/gaa/alan-dillon-bring-our-people-home-467553.html |website=Irish Examiner |access-date=7 September 2019 |archive-date=7 September 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190907233503/https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/gaa/alan-dillon-bring-our-people-home-467553.html |url-status=live}}

He successfully stood as a Fine Gael candidate at the 2020 general election in the Mayo constituency.{{cite web|url=https://www.electionsireland.org/candidate.cfm?ID=11946|title=Alan Dillon|work=ElectionsIreland.org|access-date=21 January 2025}}{{cite web |title=Mayo: 2020 General Election |url=http://irelandelection.com/election.php?elecid=238&electype=1&constitid=40 |work=Ireland Election |access-date=22 July 2020 |archive-date=23 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210923205359/https://irelandelection.com/election.php?elecid=238&electype=1&constitid=40 |url-status=live}} In July 2020, Dillon was elected as the secretary of the Fine Gael parliamentary party, following its AGM in the Convention Centre Dublin.

In October 2023, Dillon succeeded Richard Bruton as the chair of the Fine Gael parliamentary party.{{cite news |last=O'Connell |first=Hugh |date=25 October 2023 |title=Fine Gael TD Alan Dillon elected chair of parliamentary party |url=https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/politics/fine-gael-td-alan-dillon-elected-chair-of-parliamentary-party/a1962397982.html |work=Irish Independent |location= |access-date=25 October 2023}} He served as chair until April 2024, when he was succeeded by Alan Farrell.{{cite news|last=Sherlock|first=Cillian|date=17 April 2024|title=Alan Farrell named Fine Gael chairman|url=https://www.businesspost.ie/politics/alan-farrell-named-fine-gael-chairman/|work=Sunday Business Post|access-date=17 April 2024}}

On 10 April 2024, Dillon was appointed as Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage following the appointment of Simon Harris as Taoiseach.{{cite web|url=https://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/2024/0410/1442665-ireland-politics/|title=Dillon, Higgins and Burke appointed as junior ministers|work=RTÉ News|date=10 April 2024|access-date=10 April 2024}}

At the 2024 general election, Dillon was re-elected to the Dáil.