Michael Lowry has won the last five elections as an Independent TD in Co Tipperary and three previous elections for Fine Gael. He was educated in Thurles CBS and first elected to Tipperary North Riding Council in 1979. Lowry was youngest ever chairman on the Co Tipperary GAA board in 1985. The 62-year-old was first elected to the Dáil in 1987. He was appointed minister for transport, energy and communications during the rainbow coalition government between 1994 and 1996. He resigned as a minister in 1996 and became an Independent. In 1997, he topped the poll in the north Tipperary constituency. He nominated a number of candidates in local council elections and has a wide support network known as "Team Lowry". He runs a commercial refrigeration business Garuda Ltd. For 20 years he has also been involved with political scandals and court cases. He had negative findings made against him by the Moriarty tribunal.