Jerry Buttimer

Jerry Buttimer (born 18 March 1967) is an Irish Fine Gael politician who has served as a Senator for the Labour Panel since 2016, and previously from 2007 to 2011. He previously served as Leas-Chathaoirleach of Seanad Éireann from July 2020 to August 2020, Leader of Seanad Éireann from 2016 to 2020 and Leader of Fine Gael in the Seanad from 2016 to 2020. He served as a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Cork South-Central constituency from 2011 to 2016.[1]

Senator

Jerry Buttimer
Leas-Chathaoirleach of Seanad Éireann
In office
7 July 2020 – 21 August 2020
CathaoirleachMark Daly
Preceded byPaul Coghlan
Succeeded byJoe O'Reilly
Leader of Seanad Éireann
In office
8 June 2016 – 27 June 2020
TaoiseachEnda Kenny
Leo Varadkar
DeputyCatherine Noone
Preceded byMaurice Cummins
Succeeded byRegina Doherty
Leader of Fine Gael in the Seanad
In office
8 June 2016 – 27 June 2020
LeaderEnda Kenny
Leo Varadkar
Preceded byMaurice Cummins
Succeeded byRegina Doherty
Senator
Assumed office
11 April 2016
In office
7 July 2007 – 26 February 2011
ConstituencyLabour Panel
Teachta Dála
In office
February 2011 – February 2016
ConstituencyCork South-Central
Personal details
Born
Gerard Martin Buttimer

(1967-03-18) 18 March 1967
Cork, Ireland
NationalityIrish
Political partyFine Gael
Spouse(s)Conchobar Ó Laoghaire (m. 2017)
Alma mater
Websitejerrybuttimer.ie

Early Life and Education

After early education in Cork, Buttimer studied for the priesthood for six years at St Patrick's College, Maynooth as a candidate for the Diocese of Cork and Ross. He was ordained in 1991 and is a classmate of Bishop Fintan Monahan of Killaloe. After a short period in parish ministry 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 Life

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.[2] 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.[3] 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.[4]

He lost his seat at the 2016 general election.[2] After his election as a member of Seanad Éireann in April 2016, he was appointed by the Taoiseach as Leader of Seanad Éireann 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.

GolfGate

Following his involvement in the Oireachtas Golf Society scandal ("golfgate"), Buttimer resigned as Leas-Cathaoirleach on 21 August 2020. The event saw Buttimer and 80 others attended a golf function and dinner the previous day, in breach of government COVID-19 guidelines.[5] 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 punishment.[6]

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 his partner Conchobar Ó Laoghaire in December 2017.

He is chair of the Fine Gael LGBT group.[7]

References
  1. "Jerry Buttimer". Oireachtas Members Database. Retrieved 22 February 2010.
  2. "Jerry Buttimer". ElectionsIreland.org. Retrieved 22 February 2010.
  3. "Buttimer criticises boundary changes". Irish Examiner. 23 June 2012. Retrieved 7 August 2012.
  4. "Jerry Buttimer to stay in Cork South-Central". Evening Echo. 7 August 2012. Archived from the original on 8 March 2014. Retrieved 7 August 2012.
  5. "Calleary, Buttimer resign over attending Clifden event". RTÉ News. 21 August 2020.
  6. McDermott, Stephen (21 August 2020). "Golfgate: Who were the public figures at this week's controversial Oireachtas Golf Society dinner?". Retrieved 22 August 2020.
  7. "Cork Fine Gael deputy Jerry Buttimer comes out saying: I'm a TD who just happens to be gay". Irish Independent. 30 April 2012. Retrieved 30 April 2012.
Oireachtas
Preceded by
Deirdre Clune
(Fine Gael)		 Fine Gael Teachta Dála for Cork South-Central
2011–2016		 Succeeded by
Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire
(Sinn Féin)
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