Patrick Lalor

For the 19th-century politician from Laois, see Patrick "Patt" Lalor.

Patrick Lalor
Government Chief Whip
In office 5 July 1977 – 1 July 1979
Taoiseach	Jack Lynch
Preceded by	John Kelly
Succeeded by	Michael Woods
Minister of State at the Department of Defence
In office 5 July 1977 – 1 July 1979
Taoiseach	Jack Lynch
Preceded by	John Kelly
Succeeded by	Michael Woods
Minister for Industry and Commerce
In office 9 May 1970 – 14 March 1973
Taoiseach	Jack Lynch
Preceded by	George Colley
Succeeded by	Justin Keating
Minister for Posts and Telegraphs
In office 2 July 1969 – 9 May 1970
Taoiseach	Jack Lynch
Preceded by	Erskine H. Childers
Succeeded by	Gerry Collins
Member of the European Parliament
In office 1979–1994
Constituency	Leinster
Teachta Dála
In office June 1961 – June 1981
Constituency	Laois–Offaly
Personal details
Born	Patrick Joseph Lalor (1926-07-21)21 July 1926 Portlaois, Laois, Ireland
Died	30 July 2016(2016-07-30) (aged 90) Abbeyleix, Laois, Ireland
Political party	Fianna Fáil
Spouse	Mary Lalor
Children	4

Patrick Joseph "Paddy" Lalor (21 July 1926 – 30 July 2016) was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician and a well known hurling player for Laois.

Sporting career

Paddy Lalor was a member of the last Laois team to win the Leinster Senior Hurling Championship in 1949. Later that year he helped his club Abbeyleix to win the Laois Senior Hurling Championship.

He played football and hurling for his club and county for many years and is generally regarded as one of the most skilful hurlers to have pulled on the Blue and White jersey of Laois. This was evidenced by his selection in 1999 on the Laois Hurling Team of the Millennium.

Political career

He was a Teachta Dála (TD) for over twenty years, and a minister three times. He was elected to Dáil Éireann on his first attempt at the 1961 general election as a Fianna Fáil TD for Laois–Offaly in the 17th Dáil. In 1965 he was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Agriculture. The following year Lalor became Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Transport and Power and Posts and Telegraphs.

Following the 1969 election Lalor joined the cabinet of Jack Lynch as Minister for Posts and Telegraphs. In the cabinet reshuffle that took place following the Arms Crisis in 1970 he took over the Industry and Commerce portfolio, serving in that position until the 1973 general election, when a Fine Gael–Labour Party coalition took power.

Fianna Fáil was re-elected in a landslide victory at the 1977 general election and Lalor became Parliamentary Secretary to the Taoiseach. In 1979 he was elected to the European Parliament for the Leinster constituency. He did not stand at the 1981 general election. He was re-elected to the European Parliament in 1984 and 1989.

Death

Lalor died on 30 July 2016 at the age of 90. He was survived by his four children. Lalor's funeral will take place on 1 August 2016 in Abbeyleix.

External links

• European Parliament profile