Election 2020: Michael Fitzmaurice (Independent)

Independent Michael Fitzmaurice first entered national politics in a byelection in 2014, and has retained his seat ever since.

Fitzmaurice filled the seat vacated by Luke “Ming” Flanagan upon his election to the European Parliament.

Fitzmaurice (50), who runs an agricultural and turf contracting business, is the chairman of the Turf Cutters and Contractors Association and has argued for the rights of turf-cutters to “cut their own turf, for their own use, in their own bogs”.

Fitzmaurice is a critic of environmental vegetarianism and has robustly defended beef farmers. He criticised former Irish president Mary Robinson for advocating reduced meat and dairy consumption so that people have a lower carbon footprint.

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Along with several other TDs, he also later criticised Leo Varadkar for comments about trying to reduce his consumption of meat. He is married to Maria and has three children. He said his greatest hope is that his children will be free to build decent lives in the west of Ireland.