Tom Kitt

Tom Kitt (born July, 1952), is a senior Irish Fianna Fáil politician and the current Government Chief Whip. He has been a Teachta Dála for Dublin South since 1987.

Tom Kitt was born in Galway and was educated at St. Jarlath's College, Tuam and St. Patrick's Teacher Training College, Dublin. Kitt worked has a teacher before becoming involved in local politics as a member of Dublin City Council in 1979. He was elected to Dáil Éireann in 1987 as a Fianna Fáil TD. He has been elected at all five elections since then. In 1992 Kitt was appointed Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach with special responsibility for Arts, Culture & Women's Affairs. The following year in 1993 he became Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach and the Department of Foreign Affairs.

Under Bertie Ahern he became Fianna Fáil spokesman on Labour Affairs in 1995. In 1997 Fianna Fáil returned to power and Kitt became Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade & Employment. In 2002 he was appointed to the Department of Foreign Affairs as Minister of State with responsibility for Overseas Development and Human Rights. Following the Cabinet reshuffle in 2004 Kitt became Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach and the Department of Defence, effectively Government Chief Whip.

As well as being involved in politics, Kitt has ran several marathons. He completed the Dublin city marathon on five occassions as well as the Berlin marathon (1991), the Belfast marathon (1996) and the 100th Boston marathon in 1996. Tom Kitt is a son of Michael F. Kitt, TD for Galway (1949–1951 & 1957–1975), and a brother of Senator Micheál Kitt.

Political Career