Cathaoirleach
Presiding officer of Seanad Éireann
title: "Cathaoirleach" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["cathaoirligh-of-seanad-éireann", "lists-of-members-of-seanad-éireann", "titles-of-national-or-ethnic-leadership", "seanad-éireann", "lists-of-chairs-of-upper-houses", "lists-of-legislative-speakers", "1922-establishments-in-ireland"] description: "Presiding officer of Seanad Éireann" topic_path: "geography/ireland" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cathaoirleach" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary Presiding officer of Seanad Éireann ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox political post"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| post | Cathaoirleach |
| body | |
| Seanad Éireann | |
| insignia | Seanad Eireann logo.png |
| insigniasize | 200px |
| 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 |
| status | Presiding officer |
| member_of | |
| deputy | Leas-Chathaoirleach |
| appointer | Elected by the members of Seanad Éireann |
| termlength | No term limits |
| constituting_instrument | Article 15 – Constitution of Ireland |
| formation | 6 December 1922 |
| salary | €138,210 annually |
| inaugural | Lord Glenavy |
| website | |
| :: |
|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 = |deputy = Leas-Chathaoirleach |appointer = Elected by the members of Seanad Éireann |termlength = No term limits | constituting_instrument = Article 15 – Constitution of Ireland |formation = 6 December 1922 |salary = €138,210 annually (including €81,206 senator's salary) |succession = |inaugural = Lord Glenavy |website = The cathaoirleach (; Irish for chairperson; plural: Cathaoirligh) is 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:
- 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 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
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.
::data[format=table] | Seanad | Name (Birth–Death) | Portrait | Term of office | Party | Panel | |---|---|---|---|---|---| | 1922 | Lord Glenavy (1851–1931) | [[File:James Campbell, 1st Baron Glenavy, 1922.png|70px]] | 6 December 1922 | 6 December 1928 | | | 1925 | | | | | | | 1928 | Thomas Westropp Bennett (1867–1962) | [[File:No image.png|70px]] | 6 December 1928 | 19 May 1936 | | | 1931 | | | | | | | 1934 | | | | | | | 2nd | Seán Gibbons (1883–1952) | [[File:No image.png|70px]] | 27 April 1938 | 8 September 1943 | | | 3rd | | | | | | | 4th | Seán Goulding (1877–1959) | [[File:No image.png|70px]] | 8 September 1943 | 21 April 1948 | | | 5th | Administrative Panel (1944–1948) | | | | | | 6th | Timothy O'Donovan (1881–1957) | [[File:No image.png|70px]] | 21 April 1948 | 14 August 1951 | | | 7th | Liam Ó Buachalla (1899–1970) | [[File:No image.png|70px]] | 14 August 1951 | 22 July 1954 | | | 8th | Patrick Baxter (1891–1959) | [[File:No image.png|70px]] | 22 July 1954 | 22 May 1957 | | | 9th | Liam Ó Buachalla (1899–1970) | [[File:No image.png|70px]] | 22 May 1957 | 5 November 1969 | | | 10th | | | | | | | 11th | | | | | | | 12th | Michael Yeats (1921–2007) | [[File:Michael Yeats, 1977 (cropped).jpg|70px]] | 5 November 1969 | 3 January 1973 | | | Micheál Cranitch (1912–1999) | [[File:No image.png|70px]] | 3 January 1973 | 1 June 1973 | | Nominated by the Taoiseach | | 13th | James Dooge (1922–2010) | [[File:James Dooge, 1981 (cropped).tif|70px]] | 1 June 1973 | 27 October 1977 | | | 14th | Séamus Dolan (1914–2010) | [[File:No image.png|70px]] | 27 October 1977 | 8 October 1981 | | | 15th | Charles McDonald (born 1935) | [[File:Charles McDonald, June 12 1973 (cropped).jpg|70px]] | 8 October 1981 | 13 May 1982 | | | 16th | Tras Honan (1930–2023) | [[File:Tras Honan at the meeting of the European Parliament in Luxembourg (cropped).jpg|70px]] | 13 May 1982 | 23 February 1983 | | | 17th | Patrick J. Reynolds (1920–2003) | [[File:Patrick J. Reynolds 1984.jpg|70px]] | 23 February 1983 | 25 April 1987 | | | 18th | Tras Honan (1930–2023) | [[File:Tras Honan at the meeting of the European Parliament in Luxembourg (cropped).jpg|70px]] | 25 April 1987 | 1 November 1989 | | | 19th | Seán Doherty (1944–2005) | [[File:No image.png|70px]] | 1 November 1989 | 23 January 1992 | | | Seán Fallon (1937–1995) | [[File:No image.png|70px]] | 23 January 1992 | 4 July 1995 | | Industrial and Commercial Panel | | 20th | | | | | | | Liam Naughten (1944–1996) | [[File:No image.png|70px]] | 12 July 1995 | 16 November 1996 | | Agricultural Panel | | Liam T. Cosgrave (born 1956) | [[File:No image.png|70px]] | 27 November 1996 | 17 September 1997 | | Industrial and Commercial Panel | | 21st | Brian Mullooly (born 1935) | [[File:No image.png|70px]] | 17 September 1997 | 12 September 2002 | | | 22nd | Rory Kiely (1934–2018) | [[File:No image.png|70px]] | 12 September 2002 | 13 September 2007 | | | 23rd | Pat Moylan (born 1946) | [[File:No image.png|70px]] | 13 September 2007 | 25 May 2011 | | | 24th | Paddy Burke (born 1955) | [[File:Paddy Burke 2014.jpg|70px]] | 25 May 2011 | 8 June 2016 | | | 25th | Denis O'Donovan (born 1955) | [[File:Denis O'Donovan at the Enthronement of Naruhito (1).jpg|70px]] | 8 June 2016 | 29 June 2020 | | | 26th | Mark Daly (born 1973) | [[File:Mark Daly 2022.jpg|70px]] | 29 June 2020 | 16 December 2022 | | | Jerry Buttimer (born 1967) | [[File:Jerry Buttimer, December 2022 (cropped).jpg|70px]] | 16 December 2022 | 30 November 2024 | | Labour Panel | | 27th | Mark Daly (born 1973) | [[File:Senator Mark Daly at First Sitting of the 27th Seanad Éireann - 12 February 2025 (cropped).jpg|70px]] | 12 February 2025 | Incumbent | | ::
Leas-Chathaoirleach
The cathaoirleach's deputy is the leas-chathaoirleach.
::data[format=table] | Seanad | Name (Birth–Death) | Portrait | Term of office | Party | Panel | |---|---|---|---|---|---| | 1922 | James G. Douglas (1887–1954) | [[File:James Green Douglas, circa 1940s.jpg|70px]] | 12 December 1922 | 9 December 1925 | | | 1925 | Thomas Westropp Bennett (1867–1962) | [[File:No image.png|70px]] | 9 December 1925 | 12 December 1928 | | | 1928 | Patrick W. Kenny (died 1931) | [[File:Patrick W. Kenny, circa 1927.jpg|70px]] | 12 December 1928 | 22 April 1931 | | | Patrick Hooper (died 1931) | [[File:No image.png|70px]] | 6 May 1931 | 6 September 1931 | | N/A | | 1931 | Michael F. O'Hanlon (1890–1967) | [[File:No image.png|70px]] | 20 January 1932 | 12 December 1934 | | | 1934 | Michael Comyn (1871–1952) | [[File:Michael Comyn 1933.png|70px]] | 12 December 1934 | 24 February 1936 | | | David Robinson (1882–1943) | [[File:No image.png|70px]] | 11 March 1936 | 19 May 1936 | | N/A | | 2nd | Pádraic Ó Máille (1878–1946) | [[File:Pádraic Ó Máille, circa 1922.jpg|70px]] | 11 May 1938 | 30 November 1938 | | | 3rd | Michael Tierney (1894–1975) | | 30 November 1938 | 27 October 1943 | | | 4th | 27 October 1943 | 18 August 1944 | | | | | 5th | Timothy O'Donovan (1881–1957) | [[File:No image.png|70px]] | 18 August 1944 | 21 April 1948 | | | 6th | Seán Goulding (1877–1959) | [[File:No image.png|70px]] | 21 April 1948 | 14 August 1951 | | | 7th | Timothy O'Donovan (1881–1957) | [[File:No image.png|70px]] | 7 November 1951 | 27 July 1954 | | | 8th | Liam Ó Buachalla (1899–1970) | [[File:No image.png|70px]] | 27 July 1954 | 29 May 1957 | | | 9th | Patrick Baxter (1891–1959) | [[File:No image.png|70px]] | 29 May 1957 | 3 April 1959 | | | John O'Donovan (1908–1982) | [[File:No image.png|70px]] | 30 May 1959 | 3 January 1962 | | Cultural and Educational Panel | | 10th | Patrick Lindsay (1914–1993) | [[File:No image.png|70px]] | 3 January 1962 | 30 June 1965 | | | 11th | James Dooge (1922–2010) | [[File:James Dooge, 1981 (cropped).tif|70px]] | 30 June 1965 | 12 November 1969 | | | 12th | 12 November 1969 | 20 June 1973 | Industrial and Commercial Panel | | | | 13th | Evelyn Owens (1931–2010) | [[File:No image.png|70px]] | 20 June 1973 | 2 November 1977 | | | 14th | Joe McCartin (born 1939) | [[File:Joe McCartin, 2004 (cropped).jpg|70px]] | 2 November 1977 | 12 July 1979 | | | |Charles McDonald (born 1935) | [[File:Charles McDonald, June 12 1973 (cropped).jpg|70px]] | 18 July 1979 | 13 May 1982 | | Agricultural Panel | | 15th | Séamus Dolan (1914–2010) | [[File:No image.png|70px]] | 9 October 1981 | 19 May 1982 | | | 16th | Charles McDonald (born 1935) | [[File:Charles McDonald, June 12 1973 (cropped).jpg|70px]] | 19 May 1982 | 9 March 1983 | | | 17th | Tras Honan (1930–2023) | [[File:Tras Honan at the meeting of the European Parliament in Luxembourg (cropped).jpg|70px]] | 9 March 1983 | 25 April 1987 | | | 18th | Charles McDonald | [[File:Charles McDonald, June 12 1973 (cropped).jpg|70px]] | 20 May 1987 | 8 November 1989 | | | 19th | Liam Naughten (1944–1996) | [[File:No image.png|70px]] | 8 November 1989 | 25 February 1993 | | | 20th | 25 February 1993 | 12 July 1995 | | | | | Brian Mullooly (born 1935) | [[File:No image.png|70px]] | 19 July 1995 | 18 September 1997 | | Labour Panel | | 21st | Liam T. Cosgrave (born 1956) | [[File:No image.png|70px]] | 18 September 1997 | 13 September 2002 | | | 22nd | Paddy Burke (born 1955) | [[File:Paddy_Burke_2014.jpg|70px]] | 13 September 2002 | 13 September 2007 | | | 23rd | 13 September 2007 | 25 May 2011 | | | | | 24th | Denis O'Donovan (born 1955) | [[File:Denis O'Donovan at the Enthronement of Naruhito (1).jpg|70px]] | 25 May 2011 | 8 June 2016 | | | 25th | Paul Coghlan (1944–2023) | [[File:Paul Coghlan, June 2018 (cropped).jpg|70px]] | 15 June 2016 | 27 March 2020 | | | 26th | Jerry Buttimer (born 1967) | [[File:Jerry Buttimer.jpg|70px]] | 7 July 2020 | 21 August 2020 | | | Joe O'Reilly (born 1955) | [[File:Joe O'Reilly, November 2022 (cropped).jpg|70px]] | 22 August 2020 | 16 December 2022 | | Labour Panel | | Mark Daly (born 1973) | [[File:Mark Daly 2022.jpg|70px]] | 16 December 2022 | 12 February 2025 | | Administrative Panel | | 27th | Maria Byrne | [[File:Maria Byrne, January 2025 (cropped).jpg|70px]] | 19 February 2025 | Incumbent | | ::
References
References
- (5 March 2025). "TDs and Senators salaries". Houses of the Oireachtas.
- For the pronunciation in Irish, see [https://forvo.com/word/cathaoirleach/#ga here] {{Webarchive. link. (27 July 2020 .)
- "Cathaoirleach". Houses of the Oireachtas.
- "Former Cinn Comhairle and Cathaoirligh". Houses of the Oireachtas.
- The final sitting of [[Seanad Éireann (Irish Free State). 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.
::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::