Martin Austin Deasy (26 August 1936 – 10 June 2017) was an Irish Fine Gael politician who served as Minister for Agriculture from 1982 to 1987.
Deasy was selected as a candidate for the Cultural and Educational Panel for the subsequent election to Seanad Éireann in 1973.
He was successful in being elected that time, taking the third seat in the newly expanded constituency and finishing ahead of his running mate Edward Collins.
[2] Fine Gael returned to opposition following that election, however, Deasy was immediately appointed to the Front Bench as Spokesperson for Fisheries.
Following the formation of a Fine Gael-Labour coalition government in 1981, Deasy was one of several Front Bench spokespersons who were unlucky not to be appointed to cabinet or as a Minister of State.
The collapse of the coalition government in 1982, saw Deasy return to Garret FitzGerald's Front Bench as Spokesperson on Foreign Affairs.
Deasy called the agreement treacherous and said he could support any party who expressed confidence in Fianna Fáil or Charles Haughey.