Thomas Gildea (born September 1939) is a former Irish politician who was elected as an Independent Teachta Dála (TD) at the 1997 general election. A farmer representing Donegal South-West, he won popular local support for his campaign to legalise 'deflectors' which re-transmitted British television channels in rural areas, but which had been shut down in the wake of legal action by cable and MMDS operators. He was later Chairman of the National Community Television Association.