[4] His brother Gerry is a renowned surgeon, who won the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship with Meath in 1987 and 1988.

A close friend of Taoiseach Enda Kenny,[8] McEntee's election candidacy began in 2004 when he was selected as the Fine Gael candidate in the Meath by-election, which was triggered by the resignation from the Dáil of former leader Fine Gael, John Bruton.

Polling was on 11 March 2005, and McEntee narrowly beat the Fianna Fáil candidate Shane Cassells, and was elected to the 29th Dáil.

McEntee gave an impassioned speech in defence of party leader Enda Kenny during the 2010 Fine Gael leadership challenge.

[4] McEntee was also a successful campaigner on behalf of families in counties Dublin, Meath and Kildare whose homes had been damaged by pyrite in stone used in the foundations.