Thomas "Tom" Nolan (27 July 1921 - 17 August 1992) was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician.

Life and work

Nolan was born in Cappawater, Myshall, County Carlow in 1921. He was educated at the De La Salle College in Muine Bheag and joined the Irish Defence Forces shortly after his education. He first held political office in 1960 when he was elected to Carlow County Council. The following year he was nominated by the Taoiseach, Seán Lemass, to the 10th Seanad Éireann.

Nolan was first elected to Dáil Éireann as a Fianna Fáil Teachta Dála (TD) for the Carlow-Kilkenny constituency at the 1965 general election. He was re-elected at the next four general elections, but was defeated at the February 1982 general election, and did not stand again. Nolan had also served as a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) in the period when MEPs were appointed by national parliaments rather than directly elected, serving from 1973 until the first direct elections in 1979.

In the Dáil, Nolan was Minister of State at the Department of Health and Social Welfare in early 1980 and held one brief Cabinet position during his career, joining the Cabinet under Charles Haughey as Minister for Labour from December 1980 to June 1981.

His son, M. J. Nolan, is a former Fianna Fáil TD.

[ Source: Wikipedia ]