Ceann Comhairle

Ceann Comhairle of
Dáil Éireann
Incumbent
Seán Ó Fearghaíl
since 10 March 2016
Appointer Elected by the members of Dáil Éireann at start of a new term after a general election.
Term length No term limits are imposed on the office.
Inaugural holder Cathal Brugha
Formation 21 January 1919
Website Official website

The Ceann Comhairle (Irish pronunciation: [caːn̪ˠ ˈkoːɾʲlʲə], "head of the council") is the chairperson[1] (or speaker)[1] of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas (parliament) of Ireland. The person who holds the position is elected by members of the Dáil from among their number in the first session after each general election. The Ceann Comhairle of the 32nd Dáil is Seán Ó Fearghaíl, TD.

Overview

The Ceann Comhairle is expected to observe strict impartiality. Despite this, a government usually tries to select a member of its own political party for the position, if it has enough deputies to allow that choice. In order to protect the neutrality of the chair, the Constitution of Ireland provides that an incumbent Ceann Comhairle does not seek re-election as a Teachta Dála (Deputy to the Dáil) but rather is deemed automatically to have been re-elected by their constituency at a general election, unless they are retiring.[fn 1] As a consequence, the constituency that an incumbent Ceann Comhairle represents elects one fewer TD in a general election than its usual entitlement, but still has the same number of TDs.[3]

The Ceann Comhairle does not take part in debates nor vote except in the event of a tie. In this event they generally vote in accordance with the parliamentary conventions relating to the Speaker of the British House of Commons, which tend to amount to voting against motions. The Ceann Comhairle formally opens each day's sitting by reading the official prayer. The Ceann Comhairle is the sole judge of order in the house and has a number of special functions. Specifically, the Ceann Comhairle:

The Ceann Comhairle is ex-officio member (Commissioner) of the Commission for Public Service Appointments.[5]

History

The position of Ceann Comhairle is as old as the Dáil, which was first established in 1919.[6] The first Ceann Comhairle was Cathal Brugha, who served for only one day, presiding over the house's symbolic first meeting, before leaving the post to become Príomh Aire (prime minister). The office was continued under the 1922–1937 Irish Free State, the constitution of which referred to the office-holder as the "Chairman of Dáil Éireann". The practice of automatically re-electing the Ceann Comhairle in a general election was introduced by a constitutional amendment in 1927.[3][7] For a brief period from 1936 to 1937, following the abolition of the office of Governor-General, certain of the Governor-General's functions were transferred to the Ceann Comhairle, who was assigned the role of signing bills into law and convening and dissolving the Dáil. The position of Ceann Comhairle was retained when the Constitution of Ireland was adopted in 1937, as was the practice of automatic re-election.

The use of secret ballot commenced in 2016.[8]

List of office-holders

Ceann Comhairle

This list includes the constituencies and political affiliation of each Ceann Comhairle as well as the number of their Dáil Éireann and time they spent in the position.

No. Name
(Birth–Death)		 Portrait Term of office Party Constituency Dáil
1. Cathal Brugha
(1874–1922)		 21 January 1919 22 January 1919 Sinn Féin Waterford County 1st
2. George Plunkett
(1851–1948)[9]		 22 January 1919 22 January 1919 Sinn Féin Roscommon North
3. Seán T. O'Kelly
(1882–1966)		 22 January 1919 16 August 1921 Sinn Féin Dublin College Green
4. Eoin MacNeill
(1867–1945)		 16 August 1921 9 September 1922 (Pro-Treaty) Sinn Féin Londonderry
National University of Ireland		 2nd
3rd
5. Michael Hayes
(1889–1976)		 9 September 1922 9 March 1932 Cumann na nGaedheal National University of Ireland
Dublin South
(1923–1927)
4th
5th
6th
6. Frank Fahy
(1880–1953)		 9 March 1932 13 June 1951 Fianna Fáil Galway
(1932–1937)
Galway East
(1937–1948)
Galway South
(1948–1951)		 7th
8th
9th
10th
11th
12th
13th
7. Patrick Hogan
(1886–1969)		 13 June 1951 14 November 1967 Labour Party Clare
14th
15th
16th
17th
18th
8. Cormac Breslin
(1902–1978)		 14 November 1967 14 March 1973 Fianna Fáil Donegal South–West
(1967–1969)
Donegal–Leitrim
(1969–1973)
19th
9. Seán Treacy
(born 1923)		 14 March 1973 5 July 1977 Labour Party Tipperary South 20th
10. Joseph Brennan
(1912–1980)		 5 July 1977 13 July 1980 Fianna Fáil Donegal 21st
11. Pádraig Faulkner
(1918–2012)		 15 October 1980 30 June 1981 Fianna Fáil Louth
12. John O'Connell
(1927–2013)		 30 June 1981 14 December 1982 Independent Dublin South–Central 22nd
23rd
13. Tom Fitzpatrick
(1918–2006)		 14 December 1982 10 March 1987 Fine Gael Cavan–Monaghan 24th
(9) Seán Treacy
(born 1923)		 10 March 1987 26 June 1997 Independent Tipperary South 25th
26th
27th
14. Séamus Pattison
(born 1936)		 26 June 1997 6 June 2002 Labour Party Carlow–Kilkenny 28th
15. Rory O'Hanlon
(born 1934)		 6 June 2002 14 June 2007 Fianna Fáil Cavan–Monaghan 29th
16. John O'Donoghue
(born 1956)		 14 June 2007 13 October 2009 Fianna Fáil Kerry South 30th
17. Séamus Kirk
(born 1945)		 13 October 2009 9 March 2011 Fianna Fáil Louth
18. Seán Barrett
(born 1944)		 9 March 2011 10 March 2016 Fine Gael Dún Laoghaire 31st
19. Seán Ó Fearghaíl
(born 1960)		 10 March 2016 Incumbent Fianna Fáil Kildare South 32nd

Leas-Cheann Comhairle

The Leas-Cheann Comhairle holds office as the Deputy Chairman of Dáil Éireann under Article 15.9.1 of the Constitution. In the absence of the Ceann Comhairle, the Leas-Cheann Comhairle deputises and performs the duties and exercises the authority of the Ceann Comhairle in Dáil proceedings.[10] The current Leas-Cheann Comhairle is Fianna Fáil TD, Michael Kitt. By tradition, the position is reserved for the Opposition, but the appointment is made by the Taoiseach of the day.[11] The role carries the same pay and the same status as that of a Minister of State.

No. Name
(Birth–Death)		 Portrait Term of office Party Constituency Dáil
1. John J. O'Kelly
(1872–1957)		 1 April 1919 26 August 1921 Sinn Féin Louth 1st
2. Brian O'Higgins
(1882–1963)		 26 August 1921 28 February 1922 Sinn Féin Clare 2nd
3. Pádraic Ó Máille
(1878–1946)		 6 December 1922 23 May 1927 Cumann na nGaedheal Galway 3rd
4th
4. James Dolan
(1882–1955)		 1 July 1927 25 August 1927 Cumann na nGaedheal Leitrim–Sligo 5th
5. Patrick Hogan
(1886–1969)		 27 October 1927 8 March 1928 Labour Party Clare 6th
6. Daniel Morrissey
(Died 1981)		 2 May 1928 29 January 1932 Cumann na nGaedheal Tipperary
(5) Patrick Hogan
(1886–1969)		 15 March 1932 27 May 1938 Labour Party Clare 7th
8th
9th
7. Fionán Lynch
(1889–1966)		 5 July 1938 12 May 1939 Fine Gael Kerry South 10th
8. Eamonn O'Neill
(1882–1954)		 31 May 1939 31 May 1943 Fine Gael Cork West
9. Daniel McMenamin
(1882–c.1964)		 20 October 1943 12 January 1948 Fine Gael Donegal East 11th
12th
(5) Patrick Hogan
(1886–1969)		 25 February 1948 7 May 1951 Labour Party Clare 13th
10. Cormac Breslin
(1902–1978)		 4 July 1951 14 November 1967 Fianna Fáil Donegal West
(1951–1961)
Donegal South–West
(1961–1967)		 14th
15th
16th
17th
18th
11. Denis Jones
(1906–1987)		 15 November 1967 5 July 1977 Fine Gael Limerick West
19th
20th
12. Seán Browne
(1916–1996)		 6 July 1977 30 June 1981 Fianna Fáil Wexford 21st
13. Jim Tunney
(1923–2002)		 7 July 1981 14 December 1982 Fianna Fáil Dublin North–West 22nd
23rd
14. John Ryan
(1927–2014)		 15 December 1982 10 March 1987 Labour Party Tipperary North 24th
(13) Jim Tunney
(1923–2002)		 24 March 1987 4 January 1993 Fianna Fáil Dublin North–West 25th
26th
15. Joe Jacob
(born 1939)		 13 February 1993 26 June 1997 Fianna Fáil Wicklow 27th
16. Rory O'Hanlon
(born 1934)		 9 July 1997 6 June 2002 Fianna Fáil Cavan–Monaghan 28th
17. Séamus Pattison
(born 1936)		 8 June 2002 14 June 2007 Labour Party Carlow–Kilkenny 29th
18. Brendan Howlin
(born 1956)		 26 June 2007 9 March 2011 Labour Party Wexford 30th
19. Michael Kitt
(born 1950)		 31 March 2011 10 March 2016 Fianna Fáil Galway East 31st

See also

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Article 16.6 of the constitution requires that "provision shall be made by law" such that the Ceann Comhairle "be deemed without any actual election to be elected a member of Dáil Éireann".[2] The current law making such provision is Section 36 of the Electoral Act, 1992.[3][4]

References

Sources

Citations

  1. 1 2 "Role of the Ceann Comhairle". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 12 June 2008.
  2. ↑ "CONSTITUTION OF IRELAND". Irish Statute Book. pp. Article 16.6. Retrieved 4 December 2015.
  3. 1 2 3 O'Connor and O'Halloran 2008 pp.124–7
  4. ↑ "Electoral Act, 1992, Section 36". Irish Statute Book. Retrieved 4 December 2015.
  5. ↑ "Members of the Commission". Commission for Public Service Appointments. Retrieved 27 February 2015.
  6. ↑ "Ceann Comhairle – History". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 18 October 2009.
  7. ↑ "Constitution (Amendment No. 2) Act, 1927". Irish Statute Book. Retrieved 4 December 2015.
  8. ↑ Race to be Ceann Comhairle heats up as secret ballot to be used for the first time in election
  9. ↑ Count Plunkett briefly chaired the Dáil on 22 January 1919. Seán T. O'Kelly was elected Ceann Comhairle later in the same day.
  10. ↑ "Role of the Leas-Cheann Comhairle". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 17 June 2012.
  11. ↑ McGee, Harry (1 April 2011). "FF TD selected by Taoiseach to serve as Leas-Cheann Comhairle". The Irish Times.

External links

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