Patrick O'Donovan

For the Irish hurler, see Patrick O'Donovan (hurler).

Patrick O'Donovan
TD
O'Donovan in 2020
Minister for Arts, Culture, Communications, Media and Sport
Incumbent
Assumed office
23 January 2025
Taoiseach
Preceded byCatherine Martin
Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science
In office
9 April 2024 – 23 January 2025
TaoiseachSimon Harris
Preceded bySimon Harris
Succeeded byJames Lawless
Minister of State
2022–2024Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media
2017–2024Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform
2017–2020Finance
2016–2017Transport, Tourism and Sport
Teachta Dála
Incumbent
Assumed office
February 2016
ConstituencyLimerick County
In office
February 2011 – February 2016
ConstituencyLimerick
Personal details
Born (1977-03-21) 21 March 1977 (age 47)
Limerick, Ireland
Political partyFine Gael
Spouse
Eileen Keary
​
(m. 2014)​
Children3
Alma mater
Websitepatrickodonovan.ie

Patrick O'Donovan (born 21 March 1977) is an Irish Fine Gael politician who has served as Minister for Arts, Culture, Communications, Media and Sport since January 2025. He previously served as Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science from 2024 to 2025 and a Minister of State from 2016 to 2024. He has been a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Limerick County constituency since 2016, and from 2011 to 2016 for the Limerick constituency.[1]

Early career

He was a member of Limerick County Council for the Newcastle West local electoral area from 2003 to 2011.[1][2]

In January 2014, he called for "tougher controls on the use of open source internet browsers and payment systems" which he claimed allowed users to remain anonymous in the illegal trade of drugs, weapons and pornography.[3][4]

In government

Minister of State

On 19 May 2016, following the 2016 general election and the formation of minority Fine Gael government led by Enda Kenny, O'Donovan was appointed as Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport with responsibility for Tourism and Sport.[5]

On 20 June 2017, following the appointment of Leo Varadkar as Taoiseach, he was appointed by the new government as Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and at the Department of Finance with responsibility for Public Procurement, Open Government and eGovernment.[6] In August 2017, he claimed in an interview with the Sunday Independent, that the Provisional IRA were responsible for the Dublin and Monaghan bombings.[7] Fine Gael declined to comment on the matter.[8]

On 1 July 2020, he was appointed by the new government formed after the 2020 general election led by Micheál Martin as Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, with responsibility for the Office of Public Works.[9]

In December 2022, following the appointment of Leo Varadkar as taoiseach, he was re-appointed to the same post, as well as the post of Minister of State at the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media with special responsibility for the Gaeltacht.[10] On 29 June 2023 he was hospitalised after collapsing in the chamber of Dáil Éireann.[11][12] Ten weeks later he had recovered sufficiently to resume his post.[13]

Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science

On 9 April 2024, O'Donovan was appointed as Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science following the appointment of Simon Harris as Taoiseach.[14]

He was appointed by Fine Gael as director of elections for Daniel Butler in the 2024 Limerick mayoral election.[15]

Minister for Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport

On 23 January 2025, O'Donovan was appointed as Minister for Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport in the government led by Micheál Martin, following the 2024 general election.[16]

References

  1. ^ a b "Patrick O'Donovan". ElectionsIreland.org. Archived from the original on 16 October 2011. Retrieved 13 October 2011.
  2. ^ "Patrick O'Donovan". Oireachtas Members Database. Archived from the original on 28 March 2019. Retrieved 13 October 2011.
  3. ^ "O'Donovan calls for crackdown on internet browsers and payment systems which facilitate illegal activity". Fine Gael website. Archived from the original on 15 January 2014. Retrieved 14 January 2014.
  4. ^ "Down with This Sort of Thing: TD Calls for Crackdown on "Open Source Browsers"". technology.ie. Archived from the original on 16 January 2014. Retrieved 14 January 2014.
  5. ^ "Appointment of Ministers of State – Dáil Éireann (32nd Dáil)". Houses of the Oireachtas. 19 May 2016. Archived from the original on 24 December 2020. Retrieved 20 September 2019.
  6. ^ "Appointment of Members of Government and Ministers of State – Dáil Éireann (32nd Dáil)". Houses of the Oireachtas. 20 June 2017. Archived from the original on 23 December 2020. Retrieved 14 January 2020.
  7. ^ "FF voters are alarmed by talk of SF deal". Sunday Independent. Archived from the original on 25 September 2017. Retrieved 13 September 2017.
  8. ^ Halpin, Hayley (28 August 2017). "'It's ignorance': Sinn Féin calls for apology after junior minister blames party for Dublin-Monaghan bombing". TheJournal.ie. Archived from the original on 2 September 2017. Retrieved 13 September 2017.
  9. ^ "Appointment of Ministers and Ministers of State – Dáil Éireann (33rd Dáil)". Houses of the Oireachtas. 7 July 2020. Archived from the original on 9 July 2020. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
  10. ^ "Minister of State appointments". gov.ie. Department of the Taoiseach. 21 December 2022. Retrieved 21 December 2022.
  11. ^ "Limerick OPW Minister falls ill during questions in Dáil chamber". 29 June 2023.
  12. ^ "Minister brought to hospital after taking ill in Dáil". Business Post.
  13. ^ O'Regan, Donal (8 September 2023). "'I got a huge fright': Limerick TD resumes ministerial role after health scare". Limerick Leader. Retrieved 8 September 2023.
  14. ^ Pope, Conor (9 April 2024). "Cabinet reshuffle: Peter Burke and Patrick O'Donovan appointed Ministers, McEntee to remain in Justice". The Irish Times. Retrieved 9 April 2024.
  15. ^ O'Regan, Donal (24 April 2024). "Minister takes on role of election director for Limerick mayoral candidate". Limerick Leader.
  16. ^ Ó Cionnaith, Fiachra (23 January 2025). "Cabinet list in full with number of promotions, changes". RTÉ News. Retrieved 23 January 2025.
Political offices
Preceded by Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport
2016–2017 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister of State at the Department of Finance
2017–2020 		Succeeded by
Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform
2017–2024 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister of State at the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media
2022–2024 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science
2024–2025 		Succeeded by
Preceded byas Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media Minister for Arts, Culture, Communications, Media and Sport
2025–present 		Incumbent