Cathaoirleach#Leas-Chathaoirleach
{{Short description|Presiding officer of the upper house of the legislature of Ireland}}
{{about|the Cathaoirleach of Seanad Éireann}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2021}}
{{Use Hiberno-English|date=November 2021}}
{{Infobox political post
|post = Cathaoirleach
|body =
Seanad Éireann
|insignia = Seanad Eireann logo.png
|insigniasize = 200px
|insigniacaption =
|nativename =
|image = Senator Mark Daly at First Sitting of the 27th Seanad Éireann - 12 February 2025 (cropped).jpg
|imagesize = 165px
|incumbent = Mark Daly
|incumbentsince = 12 February 2025
|department = Seanad Éireann
|style =
|status = Presiding officer
|member_of = {{ubl|Seanad Éireann|Committee of Parliamentary Privileges and Oversight|Council of State|Presidential Commission}}
|deputy = Leas-Chathaoirleach
|appointer = Elected by the members of Seanad Éireann
|termlength = No term limits
| constituting_instrument = [https://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/cons/en/html#part4. Article 15 – Constitution of Ireland]
|formation = 6 December 1922
|salary = €138,210 annually{{cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/members/salaries-and-allowances/salaries/|work=Houses of the Oireachtas|title=TDs and Senators salaries|date=5 March 2025|access-date=9 April 2025|url-status=live}}
{{small|(including €81,206 senator's salary)}}
|succession =
|inaugural = Lord Glenavy
|website = {{Official website|http://www.oireachtas.ie/parliament/tdssenators/officeholders/cathaoirleach/}}
}}
Cathaoirleach ({{IPAc-en|audio=ga-Cathaoirleach.ogg|k|ə|ˈ|h|ɪər|l|ə|x}};For the pronunciation in Irish, see [https://forvo.com/word/cathaoirleach/#ga here] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200727192853/https://forvo.com/word/cathaoirleach/#ga |date=27 July 2020 }}. Irish for chairperson; plural: {{lang|ga|Cathaoirligh}}) is the title of the chair (or presiding officer) of Seanad Éireann, the sixty-member upper house of the Oireachtas, the legislature of Ireland. The current Cathaoirleach is Fianna Fáil Senator Mark Daly, who has held the office since 12 February 2025.
Powers and functions
The Cathaoirleach is the sole judge of order, and has a range of powers and functions, namely:{{cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/members/office-holders/cathaoirleach/|publisher=Houses of the Oireachtas|title=Cathaoirleach|access-date=20 January 2019|archive-date=21 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190121064656/https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/members/office-holders/cathaoirleach/|url-status=live}}
- Calls on members to speak and all speeches must be addressed to the Chair.
- Puts such questions to the House as are required, supervises Divisions and declares the results.
- Has authority to suppress disorder, to enforce prompt obedience to Rulings and may order members to withdraw from the House or name them for suspension by the House itself for a period.
- In the case of great disorder can suspend or adjourn the House.
The Cathaoirleach is also an {{lang|la|ex officio}} member of the Council of State, which advises the president of Ireland in the exercise of their discretionary powers, and of the Presidential Commission, which performs the powers and functions of the office of president in their absence.
List of office-holders
{{clear}}
=Cathaoirleach=
This list includes the panel (since 1938) and political affiliation of each Cathaoirleach, as well as the number of the Seanad and time they spent in the position.
class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |
Seanad
!Portrait !colspan=2|Term of office !colspan=2|Party !Panel |
---|
1922
|rowspan=2|Lord Glenavy |rowspan=2|70px |rowspan=2|6 December 1922 |rowspan=2|6 December 1928 |{{party name with colour|rowspan=2|Independent politician}} |rowspan=2|N/A |
1925 |
1928
|rowspan=3|Thomas Westropp Bennett |rowspan=3|70px |rowspan=3|6 December 1928 |rowspan=3|19 May 1936The final sitting of Seanad Éireann of the Irish Free State was held on 19 May 1936. The Seanad was abolished on 29 May 1936. The election for the new Seanad, set up in accordance with the 1937 Constitution of Ireland, was held on 28 March 1938, and the first sitting was held on 27 April 1938. |{{party name with colour|rowspan=2|Cumann na nGaedheal}} |rowspan=3|N/A |
1931 |
1934
|{{party name with colour|rowspan=1|Fine Gael}} |
2nd
|rowspan=2|Seán Gibbons |rowspan=2|70px |rowspan=2|8 September 1943 |{{party name with colour|rowspan=2|Fianna Fáil}} |rowspan=2|Agricultural Panel |
3rd |
4th
|rowspan=2|Seán Goulding |rowspan=2|70px |rowspan=2|8 September 1943 |rowspan=2|21 April 1948 |{{party name with colour|rowspan=2|Fianna Fáil}} |Industrial and Commercial Panel |
5th
|Administrative Panel |
6th
|Timothy O'Donovan |70px |21 April 1948 |14 August 1951 |{{party name with colour|Fine Gael}} |
7th
|Liam Ó Buachalla |70px |14 August 1951 |22 July 1954 |{{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}} |
8th
|Patrick Baxter |70px |22 July 1954 |22 May 1957 |{{party name with colour|Clann na Talmhan}} |
9th
|rowspan=3|Liam Ó Buachalla |rowspan=3|70px |rowspan=3|22 May 1957 |rowspan=3|5 November 1969 |{{party name with colour|rowspan=3|Fianna Fáil}} |rowspan=3|Cultural and Educational Panel |
10th |
11th |
rowspan=2|12th
|Michael Yeats |70px |5 November 1969 |3 January 1973 |{{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}} |
Micheál Cranitch {{small|(1912–1999)}} |70px |3 January 1973 |1 June 1973 |{{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}} |
13th
|James Dooge |70px |1 June 1973 |27 October 1977 |{{party name with colour|Fine Gael}} |
14th
|Séamus Dolan |70px |27 October 1977 |8 October 1981 |{{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}} |
15th
|Charles McDonald |70px |8 October 1981 |13 May 1982 |{{party name with colour|Fine Gael}} |
16th
|Tras Honan |70px |13 May 1982 |23 February 1983 |{{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}} |
17th
|Patrick J. Reynolds |70px |23 February 1983 |25 April 1987 |{{party name with colour|Fine Gael}} |
18th
|Tras Honan |70px |25 April 1987 |1 November 1989 |{{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}} |
rowspan=2|19th
|Seán Doherty |70px |1 November 1989 |23 January 1992 |{{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}} |
rowspan=2|Seán Fallon {{small|(1937–1995)}} |rowspan=2|70px |rowspan=2|23 January 1992 |rowspan=2|4 July 1995 |{{party name with colour|rowspan=2|Fianna Fáil}} |rowspan=2|Industrial and Commercial Panel |
rowspan=3|20th |
Liam Naughten {{small|(1944–1996)}} |70px |12 July 1995 |16 November 1996 |{{party name with colour|Fine Gael}} |
Liam T. Cosgrave {{small|(born 1956)}} |70px |27 November 1996 |17 September 1997 |{{party name with colour|Fine Gael}} |
21st
|Brian Mullooly |70px |17 September 1997 |12 September 2002 |{{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}} |
22nd
|Rory Kiely |70px |12 September 2002 |13 September 2007 |{{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}} |
23rd
|Pat Moylan |70px |13 September 2007 |25 May 2011 |{{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}} |
24th
|Paddy Burke |70px |25 May 2011 |8 June 2016 |{{party name with colour|Fine Gael}} |
25th
|Denis O'Donovan |70px |8 June 2016 |29 June 2020 |{{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}} |
rowspan=2|26th
|Mark Daly |70px |29 June 2020 |16 December 2022 |{{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}} |
Jerry Buttimer {{small|(born 1967)}} |70px |16 December 2022 |30 November 2024 |{{party name with colour|Fine Gael}} |
27th
|Mark Daly |70px |12 February 2025 |Incumbent |{{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}} |
=Leas-Chathaoirleach=
The Cathaoirleach's deputy is the {{lang|ga|Leas-Chathaoirleach}}.
class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |
Seanad
!Name !Portrait !colspan=2|Term of office !colspan=2|Party !Panel |
---|
1922
|James G. Douglas |70px |12 December 1922 |9 December 1925 |{{party name with colour|Independent politician}} |N/A |
1925
|Thomas Westropp Bennett |70px |9 December 1925 |12 December 1928 |{{party name with colour|Cumann na nGaedheal}} |N/A |
rowspan=2|1928
|Patrick W. Kenny |70px |12 December 1928 |22 April 1931 |{{party name with colour|Cumann na nGaedheal}} |N/A |
Patrick Hooper {{small|(died 1931)}} |70px |6 May 1931 |6 September 1931 |{{party name with colour|Independent politician}} |N/A |
1931
|Michael F. O'Hanlon |70px |20 January 1932 |12 December 1934 |{{party name with colour|Cumann na nGaedheal}} |N/A |
rowspan=2|1934
|Michael Comyn |70px |12 December 1934 |24 February 1936 |{{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}} |N/A |
David Robinson {{small|(1882–1943)}} |70px |11 March 1936 |{{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}} |N/A |
2nd
|Pádraic Ó Máille |70px |11 May 1938 |30 November 1938 |{{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}} |
3rd
|rowspan=2|Michael Tierney |rowspan=2| |30 November 1938 |27 October 1943 |{{party name with colour|rowspan=2|Fine Gael}} |rowspan=2|National University of Ireland |
4th
|27 October 1943 |18 August 1944 |
5th
|Timothy O'Donovan |70px |18 August 1944 |21 April 1948 |{{party name with colour|Fine Gael}} |
6th
|Seán Goulding |70px |21 April 1948 |14 August 1951 |{{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}} |
7th
|Timothy O'Donovan |70px |7 November 1951 |27 July 1954 |{{party name with colour|Fine Gael}} |
8th
|Liam Ó Buachalla |70px |27 July 1954 |29 May 1957 |{{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}} |
rowspan=2|9th
|Patrick Baxter |70px |29 May 1957 |3 April 1959 |{{party name with colour|Clann na Talmhan}} |
John O'Donovan {{small|(1908–1982)}} |70px |30 May 1959 |3 January 1962 |{{party name with colour|Fine Gael}} |
10th
|Patrick Lindsay |70px |3 January 1962 |30 June 1965 |{{party name with colour|Fine Gael}} |
11th
|rowspan=2|James Dooge |rowspan=2|70px |30 June 1965 |12 November 1969 |{{party name with colour|rowspan=2|Fine Gael}} |
12th
|12 November 1969 |20 June 1973 |
13th
|Evelyn Owens |70px |20 June 1973 |2 November 1977 |{{party name with colour|Labour Party (Ireland)}} |
rowspan=2|14th
|Joe McCartin |70px |2 November 1977 |12 July 1979 |{{party name with colour|Fine Gael}} |
|Charles McDonald {{small|(born 1935)}} |70px |18 July 1979 |13 May 1982 |{{party name with colour|Fine Gael}} |
15th
|Séamus Dolan |70px |9 October 1981 |19 May 1982 |{{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}} |
16th
|Charles McDonald |70px |19 May 1982 |9 March 1983 |{{party name with colour|Fine Gael}} |
17th
|Tras Honan |70px |9 March 1983 |25 April 1987 |{{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}} |
18th
{{Small|(born 1935)}} |70px |20 May 1987 |8 November 1989 |{{party name with colour|Fine Gael}} |
19th
|rowspan=2|Liam Naughten |rowspan=2|70px |8 November 1989 |25 February 1993 |{{party name with colour|rowspan=2|Fine Gael}} |rowspan=2|Agricultural Panel |
rowspan=2|20th
|25 February 1993 |12 July 1995 |
Brian Mullooly {{small|(born 1935)}} |70px |19 July 1995 |18 September 1997 |{{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}} |
21st
|Liam T. Cosgrave |70px |18 September 1997 |13 September 2002 |{{party name with colour|Fine Gael}} |
22nd
|rowspan=2|Paddy Burke |rowspan=2|70px |13 September 2002 |13 September 2007 |{{party name with colour|rowspan=2|Fine Gael}} |rowspan=2|Agricultural Panel |
23rd
|13 September 2007 |25 May 2011 |
24th
|Denis O'Donovan |70px |25 May 2011 |8 June 2016 |{{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}} |
25th
|Paul Coghlan |70px |15 June 2016 |27 March 2020 |{{party name with colour|Fine Gael}} |
rowspan=3|26th
|Jerry Buttimer |70px |7 July 2020 |21 August 2020 |{{party name with colour|Fine Gael}} |
Joe O'Reilly {{small|(born 1955)}} |70px |22 August 2020 |16 December 2022 |{{party name with colour|Fine Gael}} |
Mark Daly {{small|(born 1973)}} |70px |16 December 2022 |12 February 2025 |{{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}} |
27th
|70px |19 February 2025 |Incumbent |{{party name with colour|Fine Gael}} |
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website|https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/members/office-holders/cathaoirleach/}}
{{Politics of the Republic of Ireland2}}
{{Seanad Éireann}}
{{Irish Free State}}
Category:Lists of members of Seanad Éireann
Category:Titles of national or ethnic leadership