Jerry Buttimer
{{Short description|Irish politician (born 1967)}}
{{Use Hiberno-English|date=August 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2024}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-suffix = TD
| image = Jerry Buttimer, December 2022 (cropped).jpg
| caption = Buttimer in 2022
| office = Minister of State
| suboffice = Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht
| subterm = 2025–
| suboffice1 = Transport
| subterm1 = 2025–
| office2 = Teachta Dála
| term_start2 = November 2024
| term_end2 =
| term_start3 = February 2011
| term_end3 = February 2016
| constituency3 = Cork South-Central
| office4 = Cathaoirleach of Seanad Éireann
| deputy4 = Mark Daly
| term_start4 = 16 December 2022
| term_end4 = 30 November 2024
| predecessor4 = Mark Daly
| successor4 = Mark Daly
| office5 = Leas-Chathaoirleach of Seanad Éireann
| 1blankname5 = Cathaoirleach
| 1namedata5 = Mark Daly
| term_start5 = 7 July 2020
| term_end5 = 21 August 2020
| predecessor5 = Paul Coghlan
| successor5 = Joe O'Reilly
| office6 = Leader of the Seanad
| taoiseach6 = {{ubl|Enda Kenny|Leo Varadkar}}
| deputy6 = Catherine Noone
| term_start6 = 8 June 2016
| term_end6 = 27 June 2020
| predecessor6 = Maurice Cummins
| successor6 = Regina Doherty
| office7 = Leader of Fine Gael in the Seanad
| leader7 = {{ubl|Enda Kenny|Leo Varadkar}}
| term_start7 = 8 June 2016
| term_end7 = 27 June 2020
| predecessor7 = Maurice Cummins
| successor7 = Regina Doherty
| office8 = Senator
| term_start8 = 8 June 2016
| term_end8 = 30 November 2024
| term_start9 = 13 September 2007
| term_end9 = 25 February 2011
| constituency9 = Labour Panel
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1967|3|18|df=y}}
| birth_place = Cork, Ireland
| death_date =
| death_place =
| party = Fine Gael
| spouse = {{marriage|Conchobar Ó Laoghaire|2017}}
| children =
| alma_mater = {{Ubl|St Patrick's College, Maynooth|University College Cork}}
| website = {{URL|jerrybuttimer.ie}}|
}}
Jerry Buttimer (born 18 March 1967) is an Irish Fine Gael politician who has been a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Cork South-Central constituency since the 2024 general election, and previously from 2011 to 2016.{{cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/members/member/Jerry-Buttimer.S.2007-07-23/|title=Jerry Buttimer|work=Oireachtas Members Database|access-date=22 February 2010|archive-date=8 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181108144456/https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/members/member/Jerry-Buttimer.S.2007-07-23|url-status=live}} He served as Cathaoirleach of Seanad Éireann from December 2022 to November 2024, and served as a Senator for the Labour Panel from 2016 to 2024, and previously from 2007 to 2011. He served as Leas-Chathaoirleach of Seanad Éireann from July 2020 to August 2020, Leader of the Seanad from 2016 to 2020 and Leader of Fine Gael in the Seanad from 2016 to 2020.
Early life and education
After early education in Cork, Buttimer studied for the priesthood for five years at St Patrick's College, Maynooth as a candidate for the Diocese of Cork and Ross before opting not to pursue the priesthood.{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/the-current-model-has-failed-fine-gael-senator-calls-for-debate-on-celibacy-and-gay-priest-within-the-church/34951586.html|title='The current model has failed' - Fine Gael Senator calls for debate on celibacy and gay priest within the Church|work=Irish Independent|date=9 August 2016|access-date=1 September 2023}}{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.ie/life/my-sexuality-is-a-gift-from-god-i-was-born-gay-i-didnt-choose-it/29209216.html|title='My sexuality is a gift from God – I was born gay, I didn't choose it'|work=Irish Independent|date=21 April 2013|access-date=1 September 2023}} He was a classmate of Fintan Monahan, Bishop of Killaloe. He left for further study and worked as a teacher in a secondary school and more latterly was Director of Adult Education at Ballincollig Community School.
Political career
He was first elected to Cork City Council in 2004 and was an unsuccessful candidate at the 2007 general election for the Cork South-Central constituency, but was subsequently elected to the Seanad.{{cite web|url=http://www.electionsireland.org/candidate.cfm?ID=157|title=Jerry Buttimer|work=ElectionsIreland.org|access-date=22 February 2010|archive-date=20 May 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090520083709/http://electionsireland.org/candidate.cfm?id=157|url-status=live}} He was Fine Gael Seanad spokesperson on Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs in the 23rd Seanad.
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.{{cite news|title=Buttimer criticises boundary changes|url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-20198458.html|access-date=16 December 2022|newspaper=Irish Examiner|date=23 June 2012|archive-date=7 March 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140307215843/http://www.irishexaminer.com/archives/2012/0623/ireland/buttimer-criticises-boundary-changes-198458.html|url-status=live}} 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.{{cite news|title=Jerry Buttimer to stay in Cork South-Central|url=http://www.eveningecho.ie/2012/08/07/jerry-buttimer-to-stay-in-cork-south-central|access-date=7 August 2012|newspaper=Evening Echo|date=7 August 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140308011549/http://www.eveningecho.ie/2012/08/07/jerry-buttimer-to-stay-in-cork-south-central/|archive-date=8 March 2014|df=dmy-all}}
He lost his seat at the 2016 general election. After his election as a member of Seanad Éireann in April 2016, he was appointed by the Taoiseach as Leader of the Seanad 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 was appointed Leas-Chathaoirleach of Seanad Éireann on 7 July 2020.
Following his involvement in the Oireachtas Golf Society scandal ("golfgate"), Buttimer resigned as Leas-Cathaoirleach on 21 August 2020. Buttimer and 80 others attended a golf function and dinner the previous day. At the time it was suggested it was in breach of government COVID-19 guidelines.{{cite web|url=https://www.rte.ie/news/politics/2020/0821/1160425-politics-dara-calleary/|title=Calleary, Buttimer resign over attending Clifden event|work=RTÉ News|date=21 August 2020|access-date=21 August 2020|archive-date=21 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200821075934/https://www.rte.ie/news/politics/2020/0821/1160425-politics-dara-calleary/|url-status=live}} Buttimer's role in the matter was heavily criticised, as previously Buttimer has been highly critical of those he perceived as not keeping to government guidelines. In April 2020 he had accused broadcaster Ivan Yates of "irresponsible behaviour", telling him that public health measures were "about saving lives... not socialising". In June, he had suggested Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire was "happy to abandon public health advice".
Buttimer also lost the party whip as part of his sanction. The party unanimously voted to restore the whip to Buttimer in January 2021.{{Cite web |last=Hosford |first=Paul |date=12 January 2021|title=Golfgate: Fine Gael restores party whip to senators who attended |url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/politics/arid-40205591.html|access-date=9 April 2022|website=Irish Examiner |language=en}}{{cite news |last=McDermott |first=Stephen |date=21 August 2020 |title=Golfgate: Who were the public figures at this week's controversial Oireachtas Golf Society dinner? |url=https://www.thejournal.ie/oireachtas-golf-dinner-tds-senators-attendees-5181955-Aug2020/ |website=TheJournal.ie |access-date=22 August 2020 |archive-date=21 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200821223859/https://www.thejournal.ie/oireachtas-golf-dinner-tds-senators-attendees-5181955-Aug2020/ |url-status=live }}
He was elected as Cathaoirleach on 16 December 2022.{{cite news |last1=Lehane |first1=Micheál |title=Coalition leaders to agree on Cabinet reshuffle |url=https://www.rte.ie/news/2022/1215/1342130-cabinet-reshuffle/ |access-date=16 December 2022 |work=RTÉ News |date=16 December 2022}}
At the 2024 general election, Buttimer was elected to the Dáil. On 29 January 2025, he was appointed as Minister of State at the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht with special responsibility for community development, charities, Gaeltacht and the islands and as Minister of State at the Department of Transport with special responsibility for rural transport.{{cite news|url=https://www.rte.ie/news/politics/2025/0129/1493512-cabinet-meeting-junior-ministers/|title=Record number of junior ministers appointed at Cabinet meeting|publisher=RTÉ News|first=Paul|last=Cunningham|date=30 January 2025|accessdate=8 June 2025}}
Personal life
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 married Conchobar Ó Laoghaire in December 2017.{{cite news|url=https://www.rte.ie/news/2017/1229/930151-jerry-buttimer-wedding/|title=Jerry Buttimer marries long-term partner in Cork ceremony|publisher=RTÉ News|date=29 December 2017|access-date=6 October 2021}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website|jerrybuttimer.ie}}
- [https://www.finegael.ie/our-people/tds/cork-south-central/jerry-buttimer/ Jerry Buttimer's page on the Fine Gael website]
{{s-start}}
{{s-par|ie/oi}}
{{s-bef|before = Mark Daly}}
{{s-ttl|title = Cathaoirleach of Seanad Éireann
|years = 2022–2024}}
{{s-aft|after = Mark Daly}}
{{s-off}}
{{s-bef|before = Joe O'Brien}}
{{s-ttl|title = Minister of State at the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht
|years = 2025–present}}
{{s-inc|rows=2}}
{{s-new|office}}
{{s-ttl|title = Minister of State at the Department of Transport
|years = 2025–present}}
{{s-end}}
{{Current TDs}}
{{Members of the 23rd Seanad}}
{{Members of the 25th Seanad}}
{{Members of the 26th Seanad}}
{{Cork South-Central (Dáil constituency)/TDs}}
{{Chairpersons of Seanad Éireann}}
{{Fine Gael}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Buttimer, Jerry}}
Category:Alumni of University College Cork
Category:Alumni of St Patrick's College, Maynooth
Category:Irish gay politicians
Category:LGBTQ legislators in Ireland
Category:Members of Cork City Council
Category:Members of the 23rd Seanad
Category:Members of the 25th Seanad
Category:Members of the 26th Seanad
Category:Members of the 31st Dáil
Category:20th-century Irish LGBTQ people
Category:21st-century Irish LGBTQ people
Category:Fine Gael local councillors
Category:Labour Panel senators