Dr. Jim McDaid (b.1949) is a doctor of medicine and Fianna Fáil politician. McDaid was born in October 1949 in Termon, County Donegal. He was educated in Letterkenny and University College Galway. Between 1974 and 1979 he worked at Letterkenny General Hospital, In 1979 he went into partnership as a General Practitioner in Letterkenny. McDaid was elected to Dáil Éireann on his first attempt in 1989. In 1991 he was about to be appointed Minister for Defence, however a picture of McDaid emerged of him celebrating on the steps of the Dublin Four Courts with an IRA constituent. McDaid was not appointed after protests from the Opposition Parties. In 1997 McDaid was appointed Minister for Tourism, Sport & Recreation. He presided over controversial events such as drugs allegations in sport and sex abuse by swimming coaches.

Following the 2002 General Election McDaid failed to retain his Cabinet post, but he was made a Minister of State. In a government reshuffle in September 2004, McDaid lost his position as Minister of State.