Thomas Nolan (27 July 1921 – 17 August 1992) was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician who served as Minister for Labour from 1980 to 1981 and Minister of State at the Department of Health and Social Welfare from 1979 to 1980. He served as a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Carlow–Kilkenny constituency from 1965 to 1982.

Life and work

Nolan was born in Myshall, County Carlow in 1921. He was educated at the De La Salle College in Bagenalstown, County Carlow, and joined the Irish Defence Forces shortly after his education. He first held political office in 1960, when he was elected to Carlow County Council. The following year he was nominated by the Taoiseach, Seán Lemass, to the 10th Seanad. Nolan was elected to Dáil Éireann as a Fianna Fáil TD for the Carlow–Kilkenny constituency at the 1965 general election. He was re-elected at a further four general elections, but was defeated at the February 1982 general election, and did not stand again. Nolan had also served as an MEP in the period when MEPs were appointed by national parliaments rather than directly elected, serving from 1973 until the first direct elections in 1979. Nolan was appointed as Minister of State at the Department of Health and Minister of State at the Department of Social Welfare in early 1980 on the nomination of Charles Haughey, and briefly entered the cabinet toward the end of his career, serving under Haughey as Minister for Labour from December 1980 to June 1981. His son M. J. Nolan is a former Fianna Fáil TD and senator.