Jimmy Devins
James Devins is a former Irish Fianna Fáil politician and medical doctor. He served as a Teachta Dála from 2002 to 2011.Devins is a medical doctor by profession, and worked as a GP in Sligo town from 1975. His grandfather James Devins served a Sinn Féin TD for Sligo–Mayo East from 1921–22. He is married to Judge Mary Devins.Career
Devins was elected to Sligo County Council in 1991 and re-elected in 1999. He was first elected to Dáil Éireann at the 2002 general election for the Sligo–Leitrim constituency. At the 2007 general election, he was elected for the Sligo–North Leitrim constituency.
In June 2007, Devins was appointed Minister of State with special responsibility for Disability Issues and Mental Health. On 13 May 2008, shortly after Brian Cowen became Taoiseach, he was appointed Minister of State at the Department of Education and Science and the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment with special responsibility for Science, Technology and Innovation. He served in this position until April 2009 when he was dropped in a reshuffle.
On 5 August 2009, Devins resigned the party whip over his opposition to cuts in services at Sligo General Hospital. He stated that he would remain a member of the Fianna Fáil party. He rejoined the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party on 25 January 2011, a day before the leadership election.
Devins did not contest the 2011 general election.
