Jim O'Keeffe

Jim O'Keeffe (born 31 March 1941) is a former Irish Fine Gael politician who served as Minister of State from 1981 to 1982 and again from 982 to 1987. He served as a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Cork South-West constituency from 1977 to 2011.[1]

O'Keeffe was born in Skibbereen, County Cork, in 1941. He was educated at St. Fachtna's High School, Skibbereen; University College Cork; University College Dublin and the Incorporated Law School of the Incorporated Law Society. He practised as a solicitor before entering public office. O'Keeffe was first elected to Dáil Éireann at the 1977 general election as a Fine Gael TD for Cork South-West and retained his seat at each general election until his retirement in 2011.[2]

In June 1981, he was appointed as Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs with responsibility for overseas development by the Fine Gael–Labour Party government led by Garret FitzGerald.[3] This government lasted until March 1982. After a brief period in opposition, the two parties formed a new coalition government in December 1982. O'Keeffe was appointed to the same position.[4] In a reshuffle in February 1986, he was moved and appointed as Minister of State at the Department of the Public Service.[5] He retained this position until March 1987, when Fine Gael returned to opposition.

He held numerous Opposition Front Bench portfolios including Foreign Affairs; Social, Community and Family Affairs; Social Welfare; Agriculture and Health; and Justice, Equality and Law Reform. In 1996–97, he was the first chair of the All-Party Oireachtas Committee on the Constitution. He is a former vice-chairperson of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Constitution.

O'Keeffe retired from politics at the 2011 general election.[6]

He was a member of the Standards in Public Office Commission from 11 February 2014 until 10 February 2020.