Gay Mitchell

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(Gabriel) "Gay" Mitchell (born December 30, 1951 in Dublin) is an Irish politician and Member of the European Parliament for Dublin since 2004. He is a member of Fine Gael, part of the European People's Party, and is also a Teachta Dála for Dublin South Central.

Gay Mitchell was born in Inchicore, Dublin in 1951. He was educated at St. Michael's Christian Brothers School, Emmet Road Vocational School, DIT College of Commerce and Queens University, Belfast. Mitchell first became involved in politics in 1979 as a member of Dublin City Council. He was first elected to Dáil Éireann as Fine Gael TD at the 1981 general election. Since then he has served as a Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach and the Department of Foreign Affairs with special responsibility for European Affairs. He was the Irish Representative on the Reflection Group which prepared the Amsterdam Treaty.

Mitchell is also a former Lord Mayor of Dublin and, while never holding full cabinet rank, has served on the opposition front bench as spokesperson on Health (2000-2002), Foreign Affairs (1997-2000), Justice (1993-1994), Public Service and Constitutional Reform (1991-1992), Tourism and Transport (1989-1991), European Integration (1988-1989), Urban Renewal (1987-1988) and Health Board Reform (1981-1982). Following Michael Noonan's resignation as Fine Gael leader in 2002, Mitchell was a challenger in the subsequent leadership election, losing out to the victor, Enda Kenny. Before his election to the European parliament, Mitchell had been party spokesperson on Foreign Affairs, writing the party's "Beyond Neutrality" policy document.

His late bother Jim was a long-serving Fine Gael TD and former government minister.

Preceded by: Newly created seat in constituency	Fine Gael Teachta Dála for Dublin South Central 1981–	Succeeded by: Current Incumbent
Preceded by: Tom Kitt	Minister of State (with special responsibility for European Affairs) 1994–1997	Succeeded by: *Office abolished* (Minister of State for Europe was reinstated in 2002)
Preceded by: Tom Kitt	Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach 1994–1997
Preceded by: Ray Burke	Opposition Spokesperson on Foreign Affairs 1997–2000	Succeeded by: Jim O'Keeffe
Preceded by: Alan Shatter	Opposition Spokesperson on Health & Children 2000–2002	Succeeded by: Olivia Mitchell
Preceded by: Jim O'Keeffe	Opposition Spokesperson on Foreign Affairs 2002–2004	Succeeded by: Bernard Allen