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Ceann Comhairle

Seán Ó Fearghaíl

Seán Ó Fearghaíl

Constituency

Kildare South

Party

Fianna Fáil

House

33rd Dáil (2020 - )

Official roles

Ceann Comhairle

Contact details

Dáil Éireann, Leinster House, Kildare St, Dublin 2.

Private Secretary: Jill Gray

Seán Ó Fearghaíl

Election of the Ceann Comhairle

Seán Ó Fearghaíl is the 19th Ceann Comhairle (cathaoirleach/chair) of Dáil Éireann. He was elected Ceann Comhairle of the 33rd Dáil on 20 February 2020. Deputy Ó Fearghaíl was also Ceann Comhairle of the 32nd Dáil. His election on 10 March 2016 was the first to be conducted by secret ballot of the members of Dáil Éireann.

About the Ceann Comhairle

Representing the constituency of South Kildare, the Ceann Comhairle was a Senator from 2000 until his election as a TD (Teachta Dála) in 2002 and he has held his seat in each subsequent general election. In the 31st Dáil (2011-2016), Deputy Ó Fearghaíl was party whip for Fianna Fáil while also serving as his party’s spokesman on defence, arts, heritage and culture, and constitutional affairs. He served as Cathaoirleach of the Oireachtas Committee on Health from 2009 to 2011.

Before his entry into national politics, the Ceann Comhairle served as a councillor on Kildare County Council, including chair of the council, and has been involved in community, educational and housing organisations in his home county for many years. A Gaeilgeoir (fluent Irish speaker), the Ceann Comhairle maintains strong links to the farming community in his home town of Kildare. The Ceann Comhairle is married to Mary Clare and has four children.

Task Force on Safe Participation in Political Life

The Ceann Comhairle, together with the Cathaoirleach of the Seanad, has established a task force to examine the type of abuse and harassment experienced by people - and disproportionately by women - in political life and to make proposals on how to safeguard and support vital participation in the civic and public sphere.

The task force met for the first time in May 2023 and a final report will be presented to the Ceann Comhairle and Cathaoirleach no later than 31 December 2023.

Events held by the Ceann Comhairle

From time to time, the Ceann Comhairle holds forums on issues of interest to the Houses of the Oireachtas.

Events held during the 33rd Dáil

Forum on a Family Friendly and Inclusive Parliament

The Forum on a Family Friendly and Inclusive Parliament was established on 23 March 2021, with the resulting report presented to the Ceann Comhairle on 2 November 2021.

Parliamentary Symposium

The report was the basis on which the Ceann Comhairle hosted a very successful Parliamentary Symposium in Dublin Castle on 13 September 2022, entitled “Enhancing Participation in Public Life and Politics”.

The discussions centred on how women, people of diverse ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds and young people can gain access to the political system to better reflect and represent the diversity of our country.

Speakers of the Isles

The inaugural Speakers of the Isles conference, held in July 2023 and hosted by the Ceann Comhairle, brought together speakers and clerks of the parliaments and assemblies of neighbouring islands to discuss matters of shared interest and relevance.

Forums held during the 32nd Dáil

Forum on Mental Health

The Forum on Mental Health met on 19 September 2017 in Dublin Castle. At the forum, TDs and Senators had the opportunity to listen to the views of those with experience of mental health services in Ireland.

Forum on Parliamentary Privilege

The Forum on Parliamentary Privilege was established on 21 July 2017. The forum examined the factors impacting on the operation of privilege in the Dáil and made its report to the Ceann Comhairle on 21 December 2017.

The role of the Ceann Comhairle

The first business of a new Dáil after a general election is to select from its Members the Ceann Comhairle who presides impartially and with authority over the business and proceedings of the House. The Standing Orders (rules) of Dáil Éireann prescribe the powers and duties of the Ceann Comhairle in relation to parliamentary business, eg the proper conduct of debate, parliamentary questions, amendments to Bills and motions, disorderly conduct.

The Ceann Comhairle formally opens each day's sitting by reading the official prayer.

The Ceann Comhairle is the sole judge of order and has a range of powers and function, namely:

  • Calls on Members to speak and all speeches must be addressed to the Cathaoirleach (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

An important power reserved to the Ceann Comhairle is to accept and put a motion for the closure of a debate when in his view, the issue has been adequately discussed.

In relation to the general business of Dáil Éireann, the Ceann Comhairle has a variety of duties. Each sitting of the House is governed by an Order Paper which is prepared under his direction. Motions, amendments and parliamentary questions are examined individually to ensure that they comply with Standing Orders and precedents. The Ceann Comhairle also has discretion to shorten the formal notice required for motions and amendments.

Because of the party structure of political representation in Dáil Éireann, the Ceann Comhairle endeavours to give fair representation to all parties including independent Members.

On assuming office, and to ensure his unique role of presiding impartially over the proceedings, the Ceann Comhairle by tradition precludes himself from active participation in politics but remains free to make representations on behalf of constituents. The Constitution recognises this unique role and provides for the automatic re-election of an outgoing Ceann Comhairle who wishes to be a Member of the incoming Dáil.

The Ceann Comhairle is Cathaoirleach of the Committee on Parliamentary Privileges and Oversight which considers matters of procedure generally and recommends any additions or amendments to the Standing Orders that may be considered necessary. The Committee may also consider and report to the House as to Members' privileges.

While the Standing Orders regulate the proceedings of the House they do not form a complete code of day to day procedure. They must be read in the context of how they have been applied or developed by the Cathaoirleach over the years. The primary source for this is what are termed "Rulings of the Chair", which are decisions by the Cathaoirleach on matters not specifically covered by Standing Orders or which apply the Standing Orders in specific circumstances. These decisions will have been made over a considerable period and by quite a number of different Cathaoirligh (whether as Ceann Comhairle or Leas-Cheann Comhairle). The Cathaoirleach is not necessarily bound by previous rulings but, in a given situation, a ruling is likely to be adhered to in the interests of consistency.

Under Article 15.11.2° of the Constitution of Ireland, the Ceann Comhairle has and must exercise a casting vote in the case of an equality of votes. To assist him in the discharge of his parliamentary duties, the Ceann Comhairle nominates a panel of temporary Chairpersons from the membership of the Dáil.

The Constitution provides that the Ceann Comhairle shall certify any Bill which, in his opinion, is a Money Bill to be a Money Bill and, subject to certain constitutional safeguards, his certificate is final and conclusive. The importance of this procedure lies in the fact that Seanad Éireann can only make recommendations but not amendments to a Money Bill and must pass it within 21 days, instead of 90 days for a non-money Bill.

The Ceann Comhairle represents Dáil Éireann at international meetings of parliamentarians such as the Inter-Parliamentary Union, conferences of Speakers of Parliaments, the Council of Europe and the European Parliament, and is the official host to visiting parliamentary delegations.

In the absence or temporary incapacity of the President of Ireland, the Ceann Comhairle is a member of the Commission which exercises and performs the powers and functions conferred on the President. The Ceann Comhairle is also a member of the Council of State which aids and counsels the President in relation to the exercise and performance by him of certain powers. The Ceann Comhairle is ex officio chairperson of the Commission for Public Service Appointments and was, at their first meeting, elected chair of that commission. He is ex officio chair of Comhairle na Míre Gaile - a council for the recognition of deeds of bravery.

Under the Electoral Acts, the Ceann Comhairle is ex officio a member of the Appeal Board which is established to decide on any doubt, dispute or question which may arise in connection with the Register of Political Parties. The Ceann Comhairle is ex officio a member of the appeal board which is established to hear and decide appeals from decisions of the Seanad Returning Officer under the Seanad Electoral (Panel Members) Act 1947.

Selection of the Ceann Comhairle of the 33rd Dáil

Nominations, 19 February 2020

Following the general election on 8 February 2020 and before the first sitting of the 33rd Dáil, two valid nominations were received by the Clerk of Dáil Éireann, Mr. Peter Finnegan, and were thus deemed to be candidates for the position of Ceann Comhairle.

Secret ballot, 20 February 2020

Candidates                           2
Seats                                     1
Total Valid Poll                  158
Quota                                  80

Count 1

Names of candidates (and placing in order of preferences) No. of Votes
NAUGHTEN, Denis (2) 28
Ó FEARGHAÍL, Seán (1) 130

Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl was elected on the first count.

A motion re Election of Ceann Comhairle was agreed by Dáil Éireann at 3.15pm on Thursday, 20 February 2020.

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