Cathaoirleach

Cathaoirleach of Seanad Éireann
Incumbent Denis O'Donovan since 8 June 2016
Appointer	Elected by the members of Seanad Éireann at start of a new term after a general election.
Term length	No term limits are imposed on the office.
Inaugural holder	Lord Glenavy
Formation	6 December 1922
Website	Official website

Cathaoirleach (/kəˈhɪərləx/;^[1] Irish for "chairperson"; plural: 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 Senator Denis O'Donovan.

Powers and functions

The Cathaoirleach is the sole judge of order and has a range of powers and functions namely:^[2]

• 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 ex-officio member of the Presidential Commission, the collective vice-presidency of Ireland.

Leas-Chathaoirleach

The Cathaoirleach's deputy is the Leas-Chathaoirleach. The position is currently vacant following the election of the previous Leas-Cathaoirleach Denis O'Donovan as Cathaoirleach on 8 June 2016. The next Leas-Chathaoirleach will be elected on 15 June 2016.

List of office-holders

This list includes the panel (since 1938) and political affiliation of each Cathaoirleach as well as the number of their Seanad Éireann and time they spent in the position.

No.		Name[3] (Birth–Death)	Portrait	Term of office		Party	Panel	Seanad
	1.	Lord Glenavy (1851–1931)		6 December 1922	6 December 1928	Independent	N/A	1922
								1925
	2.	Thomas Westropp Bennett (1867–1962)		6 December 1928	19 May 1936[4]	Cumann na nGaedheal	N/A	1928
								1931
								1934
	3.	Seán Gibbons (1883–1952)		27 April 1938[4]	8 September 1943	Fianna Fáil	Agricultural Panel	2nd
								3rd
	4.	Seán Goulding (1877–1959)		8 September 1943	21 April 1948	Fianna Fáil	Industrial and Commercial Panel (1943–1944) Administrative Panel (1944–1948)	4th
								5th
	5.	Timothy O'Donovan (1881–1951)		21 April 1948	14 August 1951	Fine Gael	Agricultural Panel	6th
	6.	Liam Ó Buachalla (1899–1970)		14 August 1951	22 July 1954	Fianna Fáil	Cultural and Educational Panel	7th
	7	Patrick Baxter (1891–1959)		22 July 1954	22 May 1957	Clann na Talmhan	Agricultural Panel	8th
	(6)	Liam Ó Buachalla (1899–1970)		22 May 1957	5 November 1969	Fianna Fáil	Cultural and Educational Panel	9th
								10th
								11th
	8.	Michael Yeats (1921–2007)		5 November 1969	3 January 1973	Fianna Fáil	Cultural and Educational Panel	12th
	9.	Micheál Cranitch (1912–1999)		3 January 1973	1 June 1973	Fianna Fáil	Nominated by the Taoiseach
	10.	James Dooge (1922–2010)		1 June 1973	27 October 1977	Fine Gael	Industrial and Commercial Panel	13th
	11.	Séamus Dolan (1914–2010)		27 October 1977	8 October 1981	Fianna Fáil	Labour Panel	14th
	12.	Charles McDonald (born 1935)		8 October 1981	13 May 1982	Fine Gael	Agricultural Panel	15th
	13.	Tras Honan (born 1930)		13 May 1982	23 February 1983	Fianna Fáil	Administrative Panel	16th
	14.	Patrick J. Reynolds (1920–2003)		23 February 1983	25 April 1987	Fine Gael	Industrial and Commercial Panel	17th
	(13)	Tras Honan (born 1930)		25 April 1987	1 November 1989	Fianna Fáil	Administrative Panel	18th
	15.	Seán Doherty (1944–2005)		1 November 1989	23 January 1992	Fianna Fáil	Administrative Panel	19th
	16.	Seán Fallon (1937–1995)		23 January 1992	12 July 1995	Fianna Fáil	Industrial and Commercial Panel
								20th
	17.	Liam Naughten (1944–1996)		12 July 1995	16 November 1996	Fine Gael	Agricultural Panel
	18.	Brian Mullooly (born 1935)		16 November 1996	27 November 1996	Fianna Fáil	Labour Panel
	19.	Liam T. Cosgrave (born 1956)		27 November 1996	17 September 1997	Fine Gael	Industrial and Commercial Panel
	(18)	Brian Mullooly (born 1935)		17 September 1997	12 September 2002	Fianna Fáil	Labour Panel	21st
	20.	Rory Kiely (born 1934)		12 September 2002	13 September 2007	Fianna Fáil	Agricultural Panel	22nd
	21.	Pat Moylan (born 1946)		13 September 2007	25 May 2011	Fianna Fáil	Agricultural Panel	23rd
	22.	Paddy Burke (born 1955)		25 May 2011	8 June 2016	Fine Gael	Agricultural Panel	24th
	23.	Denis O'Donovan (born 1955)		8 June 2016	Incumbent	Fianna Fáil	Agricultural Panel	25th

Other uses

The term Cathaoirleach is also used in a generic sense for chairs of various organisations and local authorities. Many voluntary organisations, associations and clubs also employ this term, for example county boards and clubs of the Gaelic Athletic Association.

See also

• Ceann Comhairle (Chairperson of Dáil Éireann)
• Politics of the Republic of Ireland
• History of the Republic of Ireland
• Seanad Éireann (Irish Free State)
• Leader of the Seanad

References

1. For the pronunciation in Irish, see here.
2. "Role of the Cathaoirleach". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 17 June 2012.
3. "Cathaoirleach - Chairman - Seanad Éireann". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 17 June 2012.
4. The 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.

External links

• Official website