Paddy Burke

{{Short description|Irish politician (born 1955)}}

{{other people|Patrick Burke}}

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

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

{{Infobox officeholder

| image = Paddy Burke 2014.jpg

| caption = Burke in 2014

| office = Cathaoirleach of Seanad Éireann

| term_start = 25 May 2011

| term_end = 8 June 2016

| predecessor = Pat Moylan

| successor = Denis O'Donovan

| office1 = Leas-Chathaoirleach of Seanad Éireann

| term_start1 = 13 September 2002

| term_end1 = 25 May 2011

| 1blankname1 = Cathaoirleach

| 1namedata1 = {{ubl|Rory Kiely|Pat Moylan}}

| predecessor1 = Liam T. Cosgrave

| successor1 = Denis O'Donovan

| office2 = Senator

| term_start2 = 17 February 1993

| term_end2 = 31 January 2025

| constituency2 = Agricultural Panel

| birth_name = Patrick Burke

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1955|1|15|df=y}}

| birth_place = Castlebar, County Mayo, Ireland

| death_date =

| death_place =

| party = Fine Gael

| spouse = {{marriage|Dolores Burke|1988}}

| children =

| education =

| alma_mater = Dublin City University

}}

Patrick Burke (born 15 January 1955) is an Irish Fine Gael politician who served as a Senator for the Agricultural Panel from 1993 to 2025.{{cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/members/member/Paddy-Burke.S.1993-02-17/|title=Paddy Burke|work=Oireachtas Members Database|access-date=19 February 2008|archive-date=7 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181107145554/https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/members/member/Paddy-Burke.S.1993-02-17|url-status=live}} He previously served as Cathaoirleach of Seanad Éireann from 2011 to 2016 and Leas-Chathaoirleach of Seanad Éireann from 2002 to 2011.

Burke was a member of Mayo County Council from 1979 until the abolition of the dual mandate in 2003. He was first elected to the Oireachtas in the 1993 election to the 20th Seanad as a Senator for the Agricultural Panel, which also returned him to the 21st Seanad in 1997 and to the 22nd Seanad in 2002.{{cite web|url=http://www.electionsireland.org/candidate.cfm?ID=4394|title=Paddy Burke|work=ElectionsIreland.org|access-date=19 February 2008|archive-date=11 September 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070911163311/http://www.electionsireland.org/candidate.cfm?id=4394|url-status=live}} In September 2002, Burke was elected as Leas-Chathaoirleach (deputy chairperson) of the Seanad, and after his re-election in 2007 to the 23rd Seanad he was re-elected as Leas Cathaoirleach.

He was elected as the Cathaoirleach of the 24th Seanad on 25 May 2011.{{cite news|url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0525/seanad.html|work=RTÉ News|title=Paddy Burke elected as Seanad Cathaoirleach|date=25 May 2011|access-date=25 May 2011|archive-date=27 May 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110527031359/http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0525/seanad.html|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=http://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/fgs-paddy-burke-named-as-seanad-cathoirleach-506392.html|title=FG's Paddy Burke named as Seanad Cathoirleach|date=24 May 2011|work=Irish Examiner|access-date=25 May 2011|archive-date=21 September 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120921233140/http://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/fgs-paddy-burke-named-as-seanad-cathoirleach-506392.html|url-status=live}}

Following his involvement in the Oireachtas Golf Society scandal ("Golfgate") in August 2020, Burke was one of six senators who lost the party whip in the Senate as punishment for their actions.{{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/ |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 }} The party unanimously voted to restore the whip to Burke 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}}

Burke did not contest the 2025 Seanad election.{{cite web|url=https://www.con-telegraph.ie/2024/12/24/mayo-elected-representative-confirms-retirement-after-record-breaking-service/|title=Mayo elected representative confirms retirement after record-breaking service|work=Connaught Telegraph|date=24 December 2024|access-date=31 December 2024}}