Ceann Comhairle

Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Use Hiberno-English Template:Infobox political post Template:Sidebar with collapsible lists The {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} ({{#invoke:IPA|main}}; "Head of [the] Council"; plural usually {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} {{#invoke:IPA|main}}) is the chairperson<ref name=role>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> (or speaker)<ref name=role/> of {{#invoke:Lang|lang}}, the lower house of the {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} (parliament) of Ireland. The person who holds the position is elected by members of the {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} from among their number in the first session after each general election. The {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} since 18 December 2024 has been Verona Murphy, independent TD. The {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} since 19 February 2025 has been John McGuinness (Fianna Fáil).

OverviewEdit

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 that general election, unless they are retiring.Template:Efn 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.Template:Sfn Under standing orders, no member of the government or Minister of State may act as Ceann Comhairle or Leas-Cheann Comhairle.

The Ceann Comhairle does not take part in debates, nor do they 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:

Calls on members to speak. All speeches must be addressed to the Ceann Comhairle.
Puts such questions to the house, and supervises and declares the results of divisions.
Has authority to suppress disorder. To ensure obedience to his/her rulings the Ceann Comhairle may order members to withdraw from the Dáil or suspend an individual from the House for a period. In the case of great disorder, the Ceann Comhairle can suspend or adjourn the house.
Rings a bell when deputies are out of order. The bell is a half-sized reproduction of the ancient bell of Lough Lene Castle found at Castle Island, Lough Lene, Castlepollard, County Westmeath in 1881 and now in the National Museum. The reproduction was presented in 1931 by the widow of Bryan Cooper, a former TD.

The Ceann Comhairle is an {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} member of the Presidential Commission, the Council of State, and the Commission for Public Service Appointments.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Since the 1937 Constitution, the Ceann Comhairle has been an {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} member of the Council of State, beginning with Frank Fahy. The earlier presiding officers never served on the Council of State: i.e. those of the Revolutionary Dáil (1919–1922: Cathal Brugha, George Noble Plunkett, Eoin MacNeill, and Michael Hayes) and the Free State Dáil (1922–1936: Hayes again, before Fahy).

HistoryEdit

The position of Ceann Comhairle was created on the first day of the Dáil on 21 January 1919, when it was first established as a breakaway revolutionary parliament.<ref name=history>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The first Ceann Comhairle was Cathal Brugha, who served for only one day, presiding over the Dáil's first meeting, before leaving the post to become President of Dáil Éireann. 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.Template:Sfn<ref>Template:Cite Irish legislation</ref><ref>Template:Cite Irish legislation</ref> The outgoing Ceann Comhairle is returned at the election for their former party.<ref>See e.g. {{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }} and {{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Following the abolition on 11 December 1936 of the office of Governor-General, the Ceann Comhairle was assigned some of the former office's ceremonial functions, including signing bills into law and convening and dissolving the Dáil. These powers were transferred to the new office of President of Ireland when a new Constitution came into force on 29 December 1937, being carried out by the Presidential Commission, which included the Ceann Comhairle, until the first president entered office on 25 June 1938. The new Constitution retained the position of Ceann Comhairle and the practice of automatic re-election.

Patrick Hogan retired due to ill health in 1967, and died in 1969 before the following election. Joseph Brennan died in office in 1980.

John O'Donoghue resigned the office in 2009 after an expenses scandal.<ref name="O'Donoghue Resign">Template:Cite news</ref> As an ordinary TD he was no longer entitled to be returned automatically at 2011 general election, in which he lost his seat.

The Ceann Comhairle was first elected by secret ballot in 2016.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Following the 2024 general election, a group of Independent TDs requested that Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael support Verona Murphy becoming Ceann Comhairle as a condition of their support for government formation.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The request was accepted and with their backing, Murphy won the 2024 Ceann Comhairle election. In doing so, Murphy became the first woman to ever hold the role.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> However, the move was criticised, particularly by the Opposition parties, as traditionally the Ceann Comhairle is supposed to neutral and unaligned in the Dáil. Critics suggested Murphy would have to be loyal to the government if she owed her position to their support.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

On 1 April 2025, a vote of confidence was held in a Ceann Comhairle for the first time. This arose in response to the speaking rights dispute.<ref name="26 March No Con RTÉ">Template:Cite news</ref> The motion of confidence in Verona Murphy was agreed by a vote of 96 to 71, with 2 abstentions.

Rules for electionEdit

Under the rules for the election of the Ceann Comhairle, introduced during the 31st Dáil, candidates must be nominated by at least seven other members of Dáil Éireann. Each member may nominate only one candidate. Nominations must be submitted to the Clerk of the Dáil by not later than 6 p.m. on the day before the first day the Dáil meets after the general election in order to be valid, but may be withdrawn at any time up to the close of nominations.<ref name=StandingOrders/>

If more than one candidate is nominated, the Dáil will vote by secret ballot in order of preference after the candidates' speeches, which may not exceed five minutes, with an absolute majority required for victory.<ref name=TheJournal_20200217>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> If no candidate wins a majority on first preferences, the individual with the fewest votes will be eliminated and their votes redistributed in accordance with their next highest preference, under the alternative vote voting system.<ref name=StandingOrders>Inaccurately described in Dáil standing orders as "the proportional representation single transferable vote system". {{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Eliminations and redistributions will continue until one member receives the requisite absolute majority. Then, the House will vote on a formal motion to appoint the member in question to the position of Ceann Comhairle. The Clerk of the Dáil will be the presiding officer of the House during the election process.

List of office-holdersEdit

Ceann ComhairleEdit

For each Ceann Comhairle, this tables lists the number of the Dáil, the period in which they held office, their constituencies and their political affiliation immediately prior to their appointment.

Dáil	Name Template:Small	Portrait	Term of office		Party		Constituency	Ref
1st	Cathal Brugha Template:Small	Template:CSS image crop	21 January 1919	22 January 1919	Template:Party name with colour	Waterford County	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
	George Noble Plunkett Template:Small Template:Efn	Template:CSS image crop	22 January 1919	22 January 1919	Template:Party name with colour	Roscommon North	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
	Seán T. O'Kelly Template:Small	Template:CSS image crop	22 January 1919	16 August 1921	Template:Party name with colour	Dublin College Green	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2nd	Eoin MacNeill Template:Small	Template:CSS image crop	16 August 1921	9 September 1922	Template:Party name with colour	Londonderry National University Template:Efn	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
3rd	Michael Hayes Template:Small	File:No image.png	9 September 1922	9 March 1932	Template:Party name with colour	National University Template:Efn	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
4th					citation		CitationClass=web }}</ref>
5th					citation		CitationClass=web }}</ref>
6th					citation		CitationClass=web }}</ref>
7th	Frank Fahy Template:Small	Template:CSS image crop	9 March 1932	13 June 1951	Template:Party name with colour	Galway	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
8th					citation	Galway	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
9th					Galway East	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
10th						citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
11th						citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
12th						citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
13th					Galway South	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
14th	Patrick Hogan Template:Small	File:No image.png	13 June 1951	7 November 1967	Template:Party name with colour	Clare	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
15th					citation		CitationClass=web }}</ref>
16th					citation		CitationClass=web }}</ref>
17th					citation		CitationClass=web }}</ref>
18th					citation		CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
18th	Cormac Breslin Template:Small	File:No image.png	14 November 1967Template:Efn	14 March 1973	Template:Party name with colour	Donegal South-West	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
19th	Cormac Breslin Template:Small	File:No image.png	14 November 1967Template:Efn	14 March 1973	Donegal–Leitrim	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
20th	Seán Treacy Template:Small	File:Seán Treacy, 1981 (cropped).jpg	14 March 1973	5 July 1977	Template:Party name with colour	Tipperary South	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
21st	Joseph Brennan Template:Small	Template:CSS image crop	5 July 1977	13 July 1980	Template:Party name with colour	Donegal	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
21st	Pádraig Faulkner Template:Small	File:Padraig Faulkner, 1980 (cropped).png	16 October 1980Template:Efn	30 June 1981	Template:Party name with colour	Louth	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
22nd	John O'Connell Template:Small	File:John O'Connell, 1979 (cropped).jpg	30 June 1981	14 December 1982	Template:Party name with colour	Dublin South-Central	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
23rd	John O'Connell Template:Small	File:John O'Connell, 1979 (cropped).jpg	30 June 1981	14 December 1982	citation	Dublin South-Central	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
24th	Tom Fitzpatrick Template:Small	File:No image.png	14 December 1982	10 March 1987	Template:Party name with colour	Cavan–Monaghan	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
25th	Seán Treacy Template:Small	File:Seán Treacy, 1981 (cropped).jpg	10 March 1987	26 June 1997	Template:Party name with colour	Tipperary South	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
26th					citation		CitationClass=web }}</ref>
27th					citation		CitationClass=web }}</ref>
28th	Séamus Pattison Template:Small	File:Séamus Pattison, 1982 (cropped).jpg	26 June 1997	6 June 2002	Template:Party name with colour	Carlow–Kilkenny	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
29th	Rory O'Hanlon Template:Small	Template:CSS image crop	6 June 2002	14 June 2007	Template:Party name with colour	Cavan–Monaghan	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
30th	John O'Donoghue Template:Small	Template:CSS image crop	14 June 2007	13 October 2009	Template:Party name with colour	Kerry South	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
30th	Séamus Kirk Template:Small	File:No image.png	13 October 2009	9 March 2011	Template:Party name with colour	Louth	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
31st	Seán Barrett Template:Small	Template:CSS image crop	9 March 2011	10 March 2016	Template:Party name with colour	Dún Laoghaire	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
32nd	Seán Ó Fearghaíl Template:Small	Template:CSS image crop	10 March 2016 Template:Small Template:Small	18 December 2024	Template:Party name with colour	Kildare South	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
33rd	Seán Ó Fearghaíl Template:Small	Template:CSS image crop	10 March 2016 Template:Small Template:Small	18 December 2024	citation	Kildare South	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
34th	Verona Murphy Template:Small	Template:CSS image crop	18 December 2024 Template:Small	Incumbent	Template:Party name with colour	Wexford	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Leas-Cheann ComhairleEdit

The Leas-Cheann Comhairle holds office as the deputy chairperson 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.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The Leas-Cheann Comhairle is also elected by secret ballot. The current Leas-Cheann Comhairle is Fianna Fáil TD John McGuinness. Traditionally, the position was reserved for an Opposition TD.<ref name=IT_01042011>Template:Cite news</ref> The role carries the pay and status as a Minister of State.

Dáil	Name Template:Small	Portrait	Term of office		Party		Constituency	Ref
1st	John J. O'Kelly Template:Small	Template:CSS image crop	1 April 1919	26 August 1921	Template:Party name with colour	Louth
2nd	Brian O'Higgins Template:Small	Template:CSS image crop	26 August 1921	28 February 1922	Template:Party name with colour	Clare	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
3rd	Pádraic Ó Máille Template:Small	Template:CSS image crop	6 December 1922	23 May 1927	Template:Party name with colour	Galway	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
4th	Pádraic Ó Máille Template:Small	Template:CSS image crop	6 December 1922	23 May 1927		Galway
5th	James Dolan Template:Small	File:Seamus-O-Dolain-TD-J-Dolan.png	1 July 1927	25 August 1927	Template:Party name with colour	Leitrim–Sligo
6th	Patrick Hogan Template:Small	File:No image.png	27 October 1927	8 March 1928	Template:Party name with colour	Clare
6th	Daniel Morrissey Template:Small	Template:CSS image crop	2 May 1928	29 January 1932	Template:Party name with colour	Tipperary
7th	Patrick Hogan Template:Small	File:No image.png	15 March 1932	27 May 1938	Template:Party name with colour	Clare
8th
9th
10th	Fionán Lynch Template:Small	File:No image.png	5 July 1938	12 May 1939	Template:Party name with colour	Kerry South
10th	Eamonn O'Neill Template:Small	File:No image.png	31 May 1939	31 May 1943	Template:Party name with colour	Cork West
11th	Daniel McMenamin Template:Small	File:No image.png	20 October 1943	12 January 1948	Template:Party name with colour	Donegal East
12th	Daniel McMenamin Template:Small	File:No image.png	20 October 1943	12 January 1948		Donegal East
13th	Patrick Hogan Template:Small	File:No image.png	25 February 1948	7 May 1951	Template:Party name with colour	Clare
14th	Cormac Breslin Template:Small	File:No image.png	4 July 1951	7 November 1967	Template:Party name with colour	Donegal West
15th
16th
17th					Donegal South-West
18th					Donegal South-West
18th	Denis Jones Template:Small	File:No image.png	15 November 1967	5 July 1977	Template:Party name with colour	Limerick West
19th
20th
21st	Seán Browne Template:Small	File:No image.png	6 July 1977	30 June 1981	Template:Party name with colour	Wexford
22nd	Jim Tunney Template:Small	File:No image.png	7 July 1981	14 December 1982	Template:Party name with colour	Dublin North-West
23rd	Jim Tunney Template:Small	File:No image.png	7 July 1981	14 December 1982		Dublin North-West
24th	John Ryan Template:Small	File:No image.png	15 December 1982	10 March 1987	Template:Party name with colour	Tipperary North
25th	Jim Tunney Template:Small	File:No image.png	24 March 1987	4 January 1993	Template:Party name with colour	Dublin North-West
26th	Jim Tunney Template:Small	File:No image.png	24 March 1987	4 January 1993		Dublin North-West
27th	Joe Jacob Template:Small	File:No image.png	10 February 1993	26 June 1997	Template:Party name with colour	Wicklow
28th	Rory O'Hanlon Template:Small	Template:CSS image crop	9 July 1997	6 June 2002	Template:Party name with colour	Cavan–Monaghan
29th	Séamus Pattison Template:Small	File:Séamus Pattison, 1982 (cropped).jpg	18 June 2002	14 June 2007	Template:Party name with colour	Carlow–Kilkenny
30th	Brendan Howlin Template:Small	Template:CSS image crop	26 June 2007	9 March 2011	Template:Party name with colour	Wexford
31st	Michael Kitt Template:Small	File:Michael Kitt 2014 (cropped).jpg	31 March 2011	10 March 2016	Template:Party name with colour	Galway East
32nd	Pat "the Cope" Gallagher Template:Small	Template:CSS image crop	7 July 2016	14 January 2020	Template:Party name with colour	Donegal
33rd	Catherine Connolly Template:Small	Template:CSS image crop	23 July 2020	8 November 2024	Template:Party name with colour	Galway West
34th	John McGuinness Template:Small	Template:CSS image crop	19 February 2025	Incumbent	Template:Party name with colour	Carlow–Kilkenny