Louis Belton

{{Short description|Irish politician (1943–2023)}}

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

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

{{Infobox officeholder

| image =

| office = Teachta Dála

| term_start = June 1997

| term_end = May 2002

| constituency = Longford–Roscommon

| term_start1 = June 1989

| term_end1 = November 1992

| constituency1 = Longford–Westmeath

| office2 = Senator

| term_start2 = 17 February 1993

| term_end2 = 6 June 1997

| constituency2 = Administrative Panel

| birth_date = {{birth date|1943|11|30|df=y}}

| birth_place = County Longford, Ireland

| death_date = {{death date and age|2023|11|11|1943|11|30|df=y}}

| death_place = Mullingar, County Westmeath, Ireland

| party = Fine Gael

| education = St Mel's College

| alma_mater =

| spouse =

| children =

}}

Louis J. Belton (30 November 1943 – 11 November 2023) was an Irish Fine Gael politician from Kenagh,{{cite web|url=https://www.longfordleader.ie/news/home/1355475/tribute-to-longford-s-louis-j-belton-politician-sportsman-raconteur-and-dedicated-family-man.html|title=Tribute to Longford's Louis J Belton: Politician, sportsman, raconteur and dedicated family man|work=Longford Leader|date=23 November 2023|access-date=25 November 2023}} County Longford,{{cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/members/member/Louis-J-Belton.D.1989-06-29/|title=Louis J. Belton|work=Oireachtas Members Database|access-date=30 January 2008|archive-date=7 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181107224958/https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/members/member/Louis-J-Belton.D.1989-06-29|url-status=live}} and the seventh member of the Belton family to be elected to the Oireachtas.

Formerly a building society employee, Belton was a member of Longford County Council from 1979 to 1999.{{cite web|url=http://www.electionsireland.org/candidate.cfm?ID=3822|title=Louis J. Belton|work=ElectionsIreland.org|access-date=30 January 2008|archive-date=8 September 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070908035130/http://www.electionsireland.org/candidate.cfm?id=3822|url-status=live}} He was elected to Dáil Éireann at the 1989 general election as Teachta Dála (TD) for the Longford–Westmeath constituency, but lost his seat at the 1992 general election when contesting the revised Longford–Roscommon constituency.

However, he was then elected to the 20th Seanad in 1993, when he topped the poll for the Administrative Panel. He regained his Dáil seat at the 1997 general election but lost it again at the 2002 general election to Mae Sexton of the Progressive Democrats. He did not contest the 2007 general election. His brother Patrick was a county councillor and Mayor of Longford.

Belton died at the Midland Regional Hospital, Mullingar on 11 November 2023, aged 79.{{cite web|url=https://www.longfordleader.ie/news/home/1346242/longford-mourns-death-of-former-fine-gael-td-and-senator-louis-j-belton.html|title=Longford mourns death of former Fine Gael TD and Senator Louis J Belton|work=Longford Leader|date=11 November 2023|access-date=11 November 2023}}{{cite web|url=https://www.rte.ie/news/regional/2023/1111/1416019-louis-j-belton/|title=Former Fine Gael TD Louis J Belton dies aged 79|work=RTÉ News|date=11 November 2023|access-date=11 November 2023}}