Jim D'Arcy

{{Short description|Irish politician (born 1954)}}

{{distinguish|Jim D'Arcy (socialist)|James D'Arcy}}

{{Use Hiberno-English|date=August 2024}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2024}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| nationality = Irish

| image =

| office = Senator

| term_start = 25 May 2011

| term_end = 8 June 2016

| constituency = Nominated by the Taoiseach

| party = Fine Gael

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1954|7|20|df=y}}

| birth_place = Drogheda, County Louth, Ireland

| spouse =

| children = 3

| alma_mater = St Patrick's College, Dublin

| website =

|}}

Jim D'Arcy (born 20 July 1954) is an Irish Fine Gael politician and former member of Seanad Éireann.{{cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/members/member/Jim-D'Arcy.S.2011-05-25/|title=Jim D'Arcy|work=Oireachtas Members Database|access-date=2 October 2024|archive-date=31 October 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191031003117/https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/members/member/Jim-D'Arcy.S.2011-05-25/|url-status=live}}

He was elected to Louth County Council in 1999 for the Dundalk South electoral area, and to Dundalk Town Council in 2004 for the Dundalk South area, serving on both bodies until 2011.{{cite web|url=http://www.electionsireland.org/candidate.cfm?ID=653|title=Jim D'Arcy|work=ElectionsIreland.org|access-date=2 October 2024|archive-date=27 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171227132748/https://electionsireland.org/candidate.cfm?ID=653|url-status=live}} In May 2011, he was nominated by the Taoiseach Enda Kenny to the 24th Seanad.{{cite news|url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2011/0520/breaking59.html|title=McAleese appointed to Seanad|work=The Irish Times|date=20 May 2011|first=Elaine|last=Edwards|access-date=2 October 2024|archive-date=16 October 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121016175851/http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2011/0520/breaking59.html|url-status=live}} He had been an unsuccessful candidate in the Louth constituency at the 2007 general election. In accordance with the Dual Mandate he then relinquished his seats in local government. D'Arcy holds a distinction in that he served as Cathaoirleach of both Louth County Council and Dundalk Town Council, and is only one of three officeholders to have held this honour.

He is a former school principal of Bellurgan National School. He was the Fine Gael Seanad spokesperson on Education and Skills during his term until 2016.{{fact|date=November 2021}}

In 2017 D'Arcy was appointed a special advisor to Taoiseach Leo Varadkar on Northern Ireland, Border Issues and Brexit.{{citeweb|url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-20460250.html|title=D'Arcy gets new Advisor post|work=irishexaminer.com|date=4 October 2017|access-date=2 October 2024}} He was subsequently described as the Taoiseach's Northern Advisor and held a direct liaison link with the Shared Ireland Unit previously established by the Tánaiste, Mícheál Martin, and represented the Irish government on the Council of Europe.{{cite web|title=the power behind the throne|work=irishtimes.com|date=16 March 2024|access-date=2 October 2024|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/politics/2024/03/16/the-people-behind-the-power-who-are-irelands-political-advisers-and-backroom-experts/}}

During the 2024 local elections in Louth he was the Fine Gael director of elections and was re-appointed for the next general election campaign in the Louth constituency.