Professional Profile

Tom Kitt is a senior politician of many years standing. He is a focused, results driven and innovative person, possessing excellent interpersonal, organisational and negotiation skills. He has had a wealth of experience in many Ministerial positions and has consistently demonstrated his natural abilities in managing, motivating and maximising the potential of his colleagues in the workplace. He instils and maintains a sense of perspective and calm in highly pressurised and challenging working environments.

birth place/date
Galway, July 1952

married
Jacinta Burke-Walsh, 3 sons, David, Thomas and Robbie, and 1 daughter Ruth

education
St Jarlath's College, Tuam, Co Galway; St Patrick's Teachers Training College, Drumcondra, Dublin

occupation
Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach and Government Chief Whip

ministerial & political portfolios

2004-2008 Government Chief Whip & Minister of State at the Departments of the Taoiseach & Defence
-                Organised and co-ordinated Government business in Dail Èireann
-                Maintained communication and co-operation between the Government parties and between Government parties and the opposition
-                Oversaw the passage through the Dail of a large volume of diverse legislation

2004-2008 Minister for E Government & Information Society
- Initiated and co-ordinated Government Policy on E Government and the Information Society
- Prioritised, facilitated and launched an E inclusion strategy to maximise citizen participation in the knowledge society.

2002-2004
Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs – special responsibility for Overseas Development Aid
-    Prioritised and managed Irish involvement in development issues during   the Irish Presidency
-    Co-ordinated and oversaw the administration of a substantially increased Aid budget
-    Organised and hosted a major world conference on HIV/AIDS resulting in the Dublin Declaration, a strategy for tackling the problem.
-    Conducted negotiations with various parties in progressing the Northern Ireland Peace Process as member of the Irish Ministerial delegation

1997-2002
Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade & Employment – special responsibility for Labour, International Trade & Consumer Affairs

Labour Affairs

-          Negotiated substantial staffing and resource increases for the Health and Safety Authority (HSA)
-          Oversaw the enactment of the Industrial Relations (Amendment) Act, 2001
-          Initiated a Construction Safety Partnership Plan.
-          Established the first Task Force on the Prevention of Workplace Bullying.

INTERNATIONAL TRADE

- Led numerous successful Global Trade Missions involving Irish companies
- Headed the Irish Delegation at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Ministerial talks in Seattle and Doha
- Introduced and steered the Copyright and Related Rights Act 2000 through the Oireachtas

CONSUMER AFFAIRS

- Introduced a regulatory framework to ensure transparency in Airline advertisements
- Established new regulations for the display of price lists in Public houses
- Managed the transition to the Euro currency

1994-1997
OPPOSITION SPOKESPERSON ON LABOUR AFFAIRS

1993-1994
MINISTER OF STATE AT THE DEPARTMENT OF THE TAOISEACH & THE DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS – SPECIAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR EUROPEAN AFFAIRS & OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT AID

- Negotiated as part of the Irish Ministerial team the enlargement of the EU
- Administered Ireland’s overseas development aid budget

1992-1993
MINISTER OF STATE AT THE DEPARTMENT OF THE TAOISEACH – SPECIAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR ARTS & CULTURE, WOMEN’S AFFAIRS & EUROPEAN AFFAIRS
- Prioritised and acquired increased funding for the Arts
- Introduced equality proofing of legislation

1987
ELECTED TO DAIL EIREANN

1979-1990
MEMBER OF DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

welcome

I want to take the oppportunity to welcome you to my Constituency website. I hope it will prove a useful source of information.

Constituents in Dublin South are invited to contact me by email. Many thanks for stopping by.

Más féidir liom cabhair a thabhairt duit ná bÍ imnÍ ort teacht i dteagmhaill liom.

Phone: +353 1 6183549 Fax: +353 1 6184347 Dail Eireann, Leinster House, Kildare Street, Dublin 2