James Bannon (Irish politician)
James Bannon | |
|---|---|
| Born | March 6, 1958 Legan, County Longford, Ireland |
| Occupation(s) | Politician, farmer, auctioneer |
| Years active | 1985–2016 |
| Known for | Teachta Dála for Longford–Westmeath (2007–2016), Senator (2002–2007) |
James Bannon (born 6 March 1958) is a former Irish politician affiliated with Fine Gael who represented the Longford–Westmeath area as a Teachta Dála (TD) from 2007 until 2016. Prior to this, he held the position of Senator on the Industrial and Commercial Panel between 2002 and 2007.
Originating from Legan in County Longford, Bannon’s professional background includes farming and auctioneering before his political career commenced. His initial election to Longford County Council occurred in 1985 for the Ballymahon local electoral area, where he secured re-election in both 1991 and 1999, consistently leading in first-preference votes. Notably, he was appointed Chairperson of Longford County Council, becoming its youngest individual to hold that role.
In the 2002 Seanad elections, Bannon was successful as a Fine Gael candidate for the Industrial and Commercial Panel. Due to new regulations prohibiting simultaneous membership of the Oireachtas and local councils, he stepped down from his council seat, with his brother Larry taking over. He subsequently won a seat in the Dáil at the 2007 general election representing Longford–Westmeath.
Within Fine Gael, Bannon acted as deputy spokesperson on Environment with a focus on Heritage between 2007 and 2010, later shifting to Local and Community Development from 2010 onward. In 2012, he publicly advocated for a review regarding the selection of an Italian organ maker for St Mel's Cathedral in Longford.
During the campaign for the 2016 general election, Bannon became involved in a canvassing incident that required Garda attention; reports indicated that an associate removed campaign leaflets belonging to opposing candidates from letterboxes. He was unsuccessful in retaining his Dáil seat in that election and did not secure a seat in the Seanad during the April 2016 elections.