Tom Hayes (Irish politician)

For other people named Tom Hayes, see Tom Hayes (disambiguation).

Tom Hayes
Minister of State for Food, Horticulture and Food Safety
In office 5 June 2013 – 16 May 2016
Taoiseach	Enda Kenny
Preceded by	Shane McEntee
Succeeded by	Andrew Doyle
Teachta Dála
In office June 2001 – February 2016
Constituency	Tipperary South
Senator
In office 12 September 1997 – 22 June 2001
Constituency	Agricultural Panel
Personal details
Born	(1952-02-16) 16 February 1952 Golden, County Tipperary, Ireland
Political party	Fine Gael
Spouse	Marian Hayes
Alma mater	University College Cork

Tom Hayes (born 16 February 1952) is a former Irish Fine Gael politician who served as Minister of State for Food, Horticulture and Food Safety from 2013 to 2016. He served as a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Tipperary South constituency from 2001 to 2016. He was a Senator for the Agricultural Panel from 1997 to 2001.

He was elected in 1997, to the 21st Seanad for the Agricultural Panel. He was Fine Gael's Seanad Spokesperson on Agriculture. He was elected on 30 June 2001, to the 28th Dáil, as a TD for Tipperary South, when he held the seat for Fine Gael in a by-election following the death of Theresa Ahearn. He was re-elected at the 2002, 2007 and 2011 general elections.

Hayes served as Chairman of the Fine Gael Parliamentary Party from September 2002 to March 2010. He was party deputy Spokesperson on Transport, with responsibility for Road Safety from October 2010 to March 2011.

On 5 June 2013, he was appointed as Minister of State for Food, Horticulture and Food Safety.

He lost his seat at the 2016 general election.