Michael P. Kitt

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Michael Kitt (born in May, 1950) is an Irish Fianna Fáil party politician. A former TD, he is a member of the 22nd Seanad Éireann.

Born in Tuam, County Galway in May 1950, Kitt was educated at St. Jarlath's Roman Catholic College, Tuam; St. Patrick's Teacher Training College, Drumcondra, Dublin; University College Dublin; and University College Galway. He qualified as a teacher before becoming involved in politics.

In 1975, following the death of his father, Michael F. Kitt, he was elected to succeed his father on Galway County Council. In the Galway North East by-election on 4 March he was elected to his father's seat in the 20th Dáil, being returned on the first count with a 7% majority over the Fine Gael candidate Paul Connaughton.

Kitt lost his Dáil seat in the 1977 general election but was subsequently elected to Seanad Éireann by the Administrative Panel, serving until 1981 as a member of the 14th Seanad. He was re-elected to the Dáil in the 1981 general election for the new Galway East and retained his seat until 2002. During this period he served as a Minister of State at various government departments. He lost his Dáil seat in the 2002 general election but was subsequently nominated by the Taoiseach to serve as a member of the 22nd Seanad.

Michael Kitt comes from a family with a strong political background. He is a son of Michael Kitt, Snr, Teachta Dála for various Galway constituencies (1948-1951 & 1957-1975), and a brother of Tom Kitt, the current government Chief Whip. His sister, Áine Brady, was unsuccessful in her attempt to get elected to the Dáil in the Kildare North by-election in 2005, and is married to Gerard Brady, a former TD.