John Francis O'Connell (20 January 1927 – 8 March 2013) was an Irish politician who served as Minister for Health from 1992 to 1993 and Ceann Comhairle of Dáil Éireann from 1981 to 1982.

[5] He contested Dublin South-Central as an independent candidate, topping the poll, while Cluskey lost his seat.

[7] However, in December 1982, when the 24th Dáil met, his nomination to the position was unsuccessful, being defeated by Fine Gael TD Tom Fitzpatrick.

That year he was one of those nominated by the Taoiseach Charles Haughey to the 18th Seanad, serving until he regained his Dáil seat at the 1989 general election.

It was revealed during the Moriarty Tribunal firstly that O'Connell was the middleman for donations from Arab tycoon Mahmoud Fustok to Haughey; and secondly that O'Connell had invested a significant sum in Celtic Helicopters, a business venture owned by Haughey's son Ciarán.

[3] In the 1970s he arranged a meeting in his home between Harold Wilson MP, then leader of the British Labour Party, and Dáithí Ó Conaill, a member of the Provisional IRA Army Council.