Paddy O'Toole

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Paddy O'Toole (15 January 1938 – 11 May 2025) was an Irish Fine Gael politician from County Mayo. He entered national politics in 1973 when he was nominated to the Seanad by the Taoiseach Liam Cosgrave. He was elected to Dáil Éireann in 1977 as a Teachta Dála for Mayo East, a seat he held until 1987. In the government of Garret FitzGerald, he held several ministerial roles: Minister for the Gaeltacht from 1981 to 1982 and again from 1982 to 1987; Minister for Tourism, Fisheries and Forestry from 1982 to 1986 and briefly again in 1987; and Minister for Defence from 1986 to 1987. After losing his Dáil seat in the 1987 election, he was nominated to the 17th Seanad to fill a vacancy and served briefly before retiring from politics. He was married to Jacqueline O'Toole and had four children. He died on 11 May 2025 at the age of 87.