Patrick O'Donovan

Patrick O'Donovan (born 21 March 1977) is an Irish Fine Gael politician who has served as Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science since 2024. He previously served as a Minister of State from 2016 to 2024. He has been a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Limerick County constituency since 2016, and from 2011 to 2016 for the Limerick constituency.

Early career
He was a member of Limerick County Council for the Newcastle West local electoral area from 2003 to 2011.

In January 2014, he called for "tougher controls on the use of open source internet browsers and payment systems" which he claimed allowed users to remain anonymous in the illegal trade of drugs, weapons and pornography.

Minister of State
On 19 May 2016, following the 2016 general election and the formation of minority Fine Gael government led by Enda Kenny, O'Donovan was appointed as Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport with responsibility for Tourism and Sport.

On 20 June 2017, following the appointment of Leo Varadkar as Taoiseach, he was appointed by the new government as Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and at the Department of Finance with responsibility for Public Procurement, Open Government and eGovernment. In August 2017, he claimed in an interview with the Sunday Independent, that the Provisional IRA were responsible for the Dublin and Monaghan bombings. Fine Gael declined to comment on the matter.

On 1 July 2020, he was appointed by the new government formed after the 2020 general election led by Micheál Martin as Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, with responsibility for the Office of Public Works.

In December 2022, following the appointment of Leo Varadkar as taoiseach, he was re-appointed to the same post, as well as the post of Minister of State at the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media with special responsibility for the Gaeltacht. On 29 June 2023 he was hospitalised after collapsing in the chamber of Dáil Éireann. Ten weeks later he had recovered sufficiently to resume his post.

Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science
On 9 April 2024, O'Donovan was appointed as Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science following the appointment of Simon Harris as Taoiseach.

He was appointed by Fine Gael as director of elections for Daniel Butler in the 2024 Limerick mayoral election.