Richard Burke (29 March 1932 – 15 March 2016) was an Irish Fine Gael politician who served as European Commissioner for Interinstitutional Relations and Administration from 1982 to 1985, European Commissioner for Taxation, Consumer Affairs, Transport and Parliamentary Relations from 1977 to 1981 and Minister for Education from 1973 to 1976.

[4] He was immediately appointed Fine Gael Chief Whip by party leader Liam Cosgrave.

He joined the Taoiseach, Liam Cosgrave, in voting against the government's own Control of Importation, Sale and Manufacture of Contraceptives Bill 1974.

On the completion of his four-year term as a European commissioner, he accepted an invitation to stand at the 1981 general election for Fine Gael in June, on returning to Ireland from Harvard University after his fellowship year at Leverett House from 1980 to 1981.

After Burke left politics at the Irish and European levels, he became president and chief executive officer of the Stichting Canon Foundation[clarification needed] in Europe, roles he held until his retirement in 1998.