Former Fine Gael minister and MEP Paddy Cooney dies aged 94

Ottoline Spearman

Former Fine Gael minister and MEP Paddy Cooney has died at the age of 98.

Mr Cooney served as a government minister in the cabinets of Liam Cosgrave and Garret FitzGerald, the Irish Times reported.

In addition to justice minister, he also held the positions of minister for defence, education, transport and posts and telegraphs.

He was a TD for the Longford-Westmeath constituency in the 1970s and between 1981 and 1989. Mr Cooney was also a senator from 1977 to 1981. He was an MEP for the Leinster constituency from 1989 to 1994.

In a statement on social media, Tánaiste Simon Harris said that he was "deeply saddened" to hear of his passing, describing him as a man of "tremendous integrity".

He said that he was "someone who possessed a genuine passion for politics and working to improve the lives of his constituents of Longford-Westmeath".

"He will be remembered not only for his contributions to public life, but for his courtesy, his decency and the respect he showed to all who worked with him.

"On behalf of Fine Gael, I want to extend my heartfelt sympathies to Paddy’s family, in particular sons Mark, Michael, Edward and daughter Catherine, as well as his wide circle of friends.

"Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam."