Jimmy Leonard


James Leonard is a former Irish Fianna Fáil politician. Leonard was first elected to Dáil Éireann as a Fianna Fáil Teachta Dála for the Monaghan constituency at the 1973 general election. He was re-elected for the Cavan–Monaghan constituency at the 1977 general election. He lost his seat at the 1981 general election but was elected to Seanad Éireann by the Administrative Panel. He regained his Dáil seat at the February 1982 general election and retained it until retiring at the 1997 general election.
After his retirement, his daughter Ann Leonard unsuccessfully stood for his seat as a Fianna Fáil candidate at the 1997 general election. She was then nominated by the Taoiseach to the Seanad.