Michael Smith (Irish politician)

Michael Smith (Irish Micheál Mac Gabhann; born November 8, 1940) is an Irish politician.

Smith was first elected in 1969 for Fianna Fáil in the Dáil Éireann. In the next elections in 1973, however, he could not defend his position. The re-entry, he managed until 1977, when he was elected to the 21st Dáil Éireann. During the 21st Dáil Smtih was December 17, 1980 to June 30, 1981 Minister of State in the Ministry of Agriculture. In 1982 he retired again from the Dáil Éireann. After he had in 1981 to defend his seat successfully, he missed the re-entry in February 1982 and his next candidacy in November 1982 failed. Instead, he has now been elected to the Seanad Éireann, where he served from 1982 to 1987. In 1987, Smith then moved back to the Dáil Éireann, and was now working as a deputy until 2007. During the 25th Dáil, he held several government ministerial posts, most recently in the Department of Energy, and was then on 24 November 1988 to July 12, 1989 Secretary of Energy.

During the 26th Dáil he was on 19 July 1989 to 15 November 1991 Minister of State in the Ministry of Industry, was then Minister of the Environment, which he did in the first half of the 27th Dáil, and held that post from 11 February 1992 until 15 January 1994 from. Of 18 November 1994 to 15 December of the same year he was briefly Minister of Education.

From 1 July 1997 to October 8, 1997, Smith was then Minister of State in the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Economic Affairs, before the new defense minister was on October 8. On 29 September 2004, he resigned from this post. New defense minister Willie O'Dea. For elections to Dáil Éireann in 2007, Smith lost his mandate.