Background
Tom Kitt was born in Galway and educated at Saint Jarlath"s College, Tuam and Street Patrick"s College of Education, Dublin.
Tom Kitt was born in Galway and educated at Saint Jarlath"s College, Tuam and Street Patrick"s College of Education, Dublin.
N.T. (Primary Teaching), St. Patrick’s Training College, Dublin, 1970-1972. Spoken languages: Irish, English.
He served as a Teachta Dála (Territorial Decoration) for the Dublin South constituency from 1987 to 2011. He also served as Government Chief Whip from 2004 to 2008. As well as being involved in politics, Kitt has run several marathons.
Kitt comes from a family with a strong political background.
Tom Kitt"s sons David, Thomas and Robbie are musicians. He was elected to Dáil Éireann at the 1987 general election as a Fianna Fáil Territorial Decoration. He was re-elected at all subsequent elections until his retirement in 2011.
In 1992 Kitt was appointed Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach with special responsibility for Arts, Culture and 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 and 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.
In May 2008 when Brian Cowen became Taoiseach, he was not re-appointed as government chief whip.
He declined the offer of another junior ministry, and announced that his intention to step down from the Dáil at the next general election.
Catholic
Member. Parliamentarians for Global Action, Association of West European Parliamentarians for Action Against Apartheid and Amnesty International.
Spouse Jacinta Kitt (née Burke), 1974. Children: David, Ruth, Thomas.