Desmond O'Malley
| Desmond O'Malley | |
|---|---|
| Leader of the Progressive Democrats | |
|
In office 21 December 1985 – 12 October 1993 |
|
| Deputy |
Michael Keating Pearse Wyse |
| Preceded by | New position |
| Succeeded by | Mary Harney |
| Minister for Industry and Commerce | |
|
In office 12 July 1989 – 4 November 1992 |
|
| Taoiseach |
Charles Haughey Albert Reynolds |
| Preceded by | Ray Burke |
| Succeeded by | Pádraig Flynn |
|
In office 5 July 1977 – 30 June 1981 |
|
| Taoiseach |
Jack Lynch Charles Haughey |
| Preceded by | Justin Keating |
| Succeeded by | John Kelly |
| Minister for Trade, Commerce and Tourism | |
|
In office 9 March 1982 – 7 October 1982 |
|
| Taoiseach | Charles Haughey |
| Preceded by | John Kelly |
| Succeeded by | Paddy Power |
| Minister for Justice | |
|
In office 5 May 1970 – 14 March 1973 |
|
| Taoiseach | Jack Lynch |
| Preceded by | Micheál Ó Móráin |
| Succeeded by | Patrick Cooney |
| Government Chief Whip | |
|
In office 2 July 1969 – 5 May 1970 |
|
| Taoiseach | Jack Lynch |
| Preceded by | Michael Carty |
| Succeeded by | David Andrews |
| Teachta Dála | |
|
In office May 1968 – April 2002 |
|
| Constituency | Limerick East |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Desmond Joseph O'Malley 2 February 1939 Limerick, Ireland |
| Nationality | Irish |
| Political party | Independent |
| Other political affiliations |
Fianna Fáil (1968-1985) Progressive Democrats (1985-2008) |
| Spouse(s) | Pat O'Malley (m. 1961; d. 2017) |
| Children | 2 |
| Alma mater | University College Dublin |
Desmond Joseph O'Malley (born 2 February 1939) is an Irish former politician. Once prominent as a Fianna Fáil Teachta Dála (TD) and government minister in the 1970s and 1980s, he went on to found the Progressive Democrats and serve as the party's first leader from 1985 until 1993. He retired from politics at the 2002 general election.
O'Malley was born in Limerick in 1939. His family had long been involved in politics: His maternal grandfather, Denis O'Donovan, was murdered during the War of Independence by the Black and Tans, two of his uncles and his father held the office of Mayor of Limerick, and his uncle Donogh O'Malley was a Minister for Education.
O'Malley was educated at the Jesuit Crescent College and at University College Dublin, from which he graduated with a degree in law in 1962. In 1968, after Donogh O'Malley died suddenly, Desmond O'Malley was elected to Dáil Éireann as a Fianna Fáil Teachta Dála (TD) in the subsequent by-election for the Limerick East constituency. At the time it was believed that this by-election victory was partly due to Neil Blaney and his "Donegal Mafia". Blaney would subsequently regret aiding O'Malley in his election.
Following the 1969 general election O'Malley was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Taoiseach, Jack Lynch, and also Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence, Jim Gibbons. O'Malley had a central role in the prosecutions that arose from the Arms Crisis of 1970. The case against the accused government ministers Charles Haughey and Neil Blaney was dismissed in the Supreme Court, and both ministers were acquitted.
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