Records of members of the Oireachtas
This is a list of records relating to the Oireachtas (National Parliament of Ireland).[1] The First Dáil Éireann consisted of the Sinn Féin MPs who were elected in the United Kingdom general election of 14 December 1918. They refused to attend the British House of Commons and instead assembled for the first time on 21 January 1919 in the Mansion House in Dublin as the revolutionary unicameral Dáil Éireann.
1118 Teachtaí Dála (TDs) served in the Dáil between 1919 and 2003. The title Father of the Dáil is usually and unofficially conferred on the longest-serving member.
Contents
- 1 Longest-serving former TDs
- 2 Shortest-serving former TDs
- 3 Current office-holders, longest service in the Oireachtas
- 4 Longest-serving Senators
- 5 Oldest living former office-holders
- 6 Oldest ever office-holders
- 7 Youngest ever office-holders
- 8 Longest surviving cabinet members
- 9 Longest surviving Dáil members
- 10 Longest lived former office-holders
- 11 Shortest lived office-holders
- 12 Longest-serving cabinet ministers (in same office)
- 13 People appointed to cabinet at the start of their first term as TD
- 14 Oldest person currently in office
- 15 Youngest person currently in office
- 16 Members of the current Government by age
- 17 Longest service (cumulative)
- 18 Married couple in the same Oireachtas
- 19 Members of both the British Parliament and of the Oireachtas
- 20 First-time records
- 21 Party leaders
- 22 See also
- 23 References
Longest-serving former TDs
This is a list of former TDs who have served at least 30 years in the Dáil. Unless otherwise specified, start and end dates given are those of the relevant general election. It can be assumed unless stated otherwise that the member did not stand in the end-date election, as opposed to standing and failing to be elected.
Shortest-serving former TDs
This is a list of former TDs who served for less than 1 year in the Dáil. Unless otherwise specified, start and end dates given are those of the relevant general election.
The following were eligible for membership of the Dáil, but as Unionists, they did not recognise it. Those elected to Westminster in 1918 were eligible for the First Dáil.[2]
Name | Party | Elected | Vacated Westminster seat | Months | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Hugh Anderson | Irish Unionist Alliance | 1918 | Resignation in 1919 | < 3m | By-election was held on 4 March 1919 | |
Robert McCalmont | Irish Unionist Alliance | 1918 | Appointment as Commander of the Irish Guards in 1919 | < 6m | By-election was held on 27 May 1919 | |
Arthur Warren Samuels | Irish Unionist Alliance | 1918 | Appointment to the King's Bench in 1919 | < 8m | By-election was held on 28 July 1919 |
Current office-holders, longest service in the Oireachtas
This is a list of current members of the Oireachtas who have served for at least 20 years, with continuous or broken service. Unless otherwise specified, start dates given are those of the relevant election.
Name | Party | Office | First elected/appointed b = by-election |
Years/Months (as of 14 January 2025) |
Notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Michael P. Kitt | Fianna Fáil | TD / Senator | 1975 b | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Senator from 1977 to 1981, and from 2002 to 2007 | |
Enda Kenny | Fine Gael | TD | 1975 b | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Current Taoiseach and Father of the Dáil | |
Ruairi Quinn | Labour Party | Senator / TD | 1976 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Senator from 1976 to 1977, and from 1981 to February 1982 | |
Michael D. Higgins | Labour Party | Senator / TD / President |
1973 | 37 years, 8 month(s) (as of Jan 2016) |
Current President of Ireland Did not hold office between 1977 and 1981, and February and November 2011 |
|
Michael Noonan | Fine Gael | TD | 1981 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | ||
Bernard Durkan | Fine Gael | TD / Senator | 1981 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Senator from February 1982 to November 1982 | |
Richard Bruton | Fine Gael | Senator / TD | 1981 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Senator from October 1981 to February 1982 | |
Shane Ross | Independent | Senator / TD | 1981 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Senator from 1981 to 2011 | |
Dinny McGinley | Fine Gael | TD | February 1982 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | ||
Willie O'Dea | Fianna Fáil | TD | February 1982 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | ||
John Browne | Fianna Fáil | TD | November 1982 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | ||
Séamus Kirk | Fianna Fáil | TD | November 1982 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Former Ceann Comhairle | |
Jimmy Deenihan | Fine Gael | Senator / TD | 1983 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Senator from 1983 to 1987 | |
Brendan Howlin | Labour Party | Senator / TD | 1983 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Senator from 1983 to 1987 | |
Seán Barrett | Fine Gael | TD | 1981 | 29 years, 5 month(s) (as of Jan 2016) |
Current Ceann Comhairle Did not hold office between 2002 and 2007 |
|
Alan Shatter | Fine Gael | TD | 1981 | 29 years, 5 month(s) (as of Jan 2016) |
Did not hold office between 2002 and 2007 | |
Emmet Stagg | Labour Party | TD | 1987 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | ||
Michael Lowry | Independent | TD | 1987 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | ||
Terry Leyden | Fianna Fáil | TD / Senator | 1977 | 28 years, 9 month(s) (as of Jan 2016) |
Did not hold office for 9y, 9m between December 1992 and September 2002 | |
Paul Bradford | Fine Gael | Senator / TD | 1987 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Senator from 1987 to 1989, and from 2002 to present | |
David Norris | Independent | Senator | 1987 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | ||
Eamon Gilmore | Labour Party | TD | 1989 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Former Tánaiste and leader of the Labour Party | |
Pat Rabbitte | Labour Party | TD | 1989 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | ||
Micheál Martin | Fianna Fáil | TD | 1989 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Leader of Fianna Fáil | |
Dan Neville | Fine Gael | Senator / TD | 1989 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Senator from 1989 to 1997 | |
Joe Costello | Labour Party | Senator / TD | 1989 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Senator from 1989 to 1992 and from 1997 to 2002 | |
Éamon Ó Cuív | Fianna Fáil | Senator / TD | 1989 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Senator from 1989 to 1992 | |
Paschal Mooney | Fianna Fáil | Senator | 1987 | 26 years, 1 month (as of Jan 2016) |
Did not hold office between July 2007 and January 2010 | |
Charles Flanagan | Fine Gael | TD | 1987 | 23 years, 10 month(s) (as of Jan 2016) |
Did not hold office between 2002 and 2007 | |
Tommy Broughan | Independent | TD | 1992 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | ||
Willie Penrose | Labour Party | TD | 1992 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | ||
Róisín Shortall | Independent | TD | 1992 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | ||
Brendan Smith | Fianna Fáil | TD | 1992 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | ||
Billy Kelleher | Fianna Fáil | Senator / TD | 1993 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Senator from 1993 to 1997 | |
Jack Wall | Labour Party | Senator / TD | 1993 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Senator from 1993 to 1997 | |
Paddy Burke | Fine Gael | Senator | 1993 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Current Cathaoirleach | |
Feargal Quinn | Independent | Senator | 1993 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | ||
Jan O'Sullivan | Labour Party | TD / Senator | 1993 | 22 years, 1 month (as of Jan 2016) |
Senator from 1993 to 1997 Did not hold office between June 1997 and March 1998 |
|
Michael Ring | Fine Gael | TD | 1994 b | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | ||
Michael Creed | Fine Gael | TD | 1989 | 21 years, 7 month(s) (as of Jan 2016) |
Did not hold office between May 2002 and May 2007 | |
Denis O'Donovan | Fianna Fáil | Senator / TD | 1989 | 21 years, 5 month(s) (as of Jan 2016) |
Did not hold office between December 1992 and September 1997 |
Longest-serving Senators
This is a list of current and former Senators who have served for at least 20 years in the Seanad, including both the Free State Seanad and the Seanad established under the 1937 Constitution. There was a 22-month gap between the abolition of the Free State Seanad in 1936 and the inauguration in 1938 of the 2nd Seanad, the first incarnation of the new body.
Name | Party | First elected | Vacated seat | Years/Months | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Henry Barniville | Fine Gael | 6 December 1922 | 23 September 1960 | 35 years, 11 months | Service interrupted by the abolition of the Free State Seanad | |
Margaret Mary Pearse | Fianna Fáil | 27 April 1938 | 7 November 1968 | 30 years, 6 months | ||
Eoin Ryan, Snr | Fianna Fáil | 22 May 1957 | 3 April 1987 | 29 years, 10 months | ||
Liam Ó Buachalla | Fianna Fáil | 7 October 1939 | 24 July 1969 | 29 years, 9 months | ||
Shane Ross | Independent | 8 October 1981 | 26 February 2011 | 29 years, 4 months | ||
David Norris† | Independent | 25 April 1987 | Incumbent | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | ||
James G. Douglas | Independent | 6 December 1922 | 16 September 1954 | 28 years, 9 months | Service interrupted by the abolition of the Free State Seanad; Did not serve in 4th Seanad |
|
Rory Kiely | Fianna Fáil | 27 October 1977 | 22 July 2007 | 28 years, 9 months | Did not serve in 16th Seanad | |
Patrick McGowan | Fianna Fáil | 23 June 1965 | 3 October 1999 | 28 years, 5 months | Did not serve in 15th, 16th and 17th Seanad | |
Des Hanafin | Fianna Fáil | 5 November 1969 | 26 June 2002 | 27 years, 10 months | Did not serve in 20th Seanad | |
William Ryan | Fianna Fáil | 14 December 1961 | 5 July 1989 | 27 years, 6 months | ||
Michael Hayes | Fine Gael | 27 April 1938 | 28 April 1965 | 27 years | ||
Charles McDonald | Fine Gael | 14 December 1961 | 17 December 1992 | 26 years, 4 months | Did not serve in 13th Seanad | |
John Counihan | Independent | 6 December 1922 | 25 July 1951 | 26 years, 3 months | Did not serve in 2nd Seanad | |
Paschal Mooney† | Fianna Fáil | 25 April 1987 | Incumbent | 26 years, 1 month (as of Jan 2016) |
Did not serve 2y, 6m from July 2007 to January 2010 | |
Thomas Ruane | Fianna Fáil | 6 December 1934 | 28 April 1965 | 25 years, 9 months | Service interrupted by the abolition of the Free State Seanad; Did not serve in 4th and 6th Seanad |
|
Patrick O'Reilly | Fianna Fáil | 18 August 1944 | 24 July 1969 | 24 years, 11 months | ||
Seán O'Donovan | Fianna Fáil | 27 April 1938 | 24 July 1969 | 24 years, 10 months | Did not serve in 6th and 8th Seanad | |
Mick Lanigan | Fianna Fáil | 27 October 1977 | 26 June 2002 | 24 years, 7 months | ||
Joe O'Toole | Independent | 25 April 1987 | 29 April 2011 | 24 years | ||
Donie Cassidy | Fianna Fáil | 13 May 1982 | 29 April 2011 | 24 years | Did not serve in 22nd Seanad from 2002 to 2007 | |
Paddy Burke† | Fine Gael | 17 February 1993 | Incumbent | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | ||
Feargal Quinn† | Independent | 17 February 1993 | Incumbent | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | ||
James Parkinson | Cumann na nGaedheal | 6 December 1922 | 31 July 1947 | 22 years, 9 months | Service interrupted by the abolition of the Free State Seanad | |
Patrick Baxter | Clann na Talmhan | 6 December 1934 | 3 April 1959 | 22 years, 5 months | Service interrupted by the abolition of the Free State Seanad | |
John Butler | Labour Party | 27 April 1938 | 28 April 1965 | 22 years, 3 months | Did not serve in 9th Seanad | |
Seán Hayes | Fianna Fáil | 27 April 1938 | 28 April 1965 | 22 years, 2 months | Did not serve in 4th and 6th Seanad | |
William O'Callaghan | Independent | 27 April 1938 | 1 September 1961 | 22 years, 2 months | Did not serve in 4th Seanad | |
James Tunney | Labour Party | 27 April 1938 | 1 September 1961 | 22 years, 2 months | Did not serve in 4th Seanad | |
Thomas Foran | Labour Party | 28 November 1923 | 12 March 1948 | 22 years | Did not serve in 2nd Seanad | |
Patrick Fitzsimons | Independent | 21 April 1948 | 30 March 1973 | 22 years | Did not serve in 8th Seanad | |
Peter Lynch | Independent | 7 September 1938 | 1 September 1961 | 22 years | ||
Sir John Keane | Independent | 6 December 1922 | 12 March 1948 | 21 years, 10 months | Did not serve in 1934–36 Seanad | |
Francis O'Brien | Fianna Fáil | 1 October 1989 | 29 April 2011 | 21 years, 7 months | ||
William Quirke | Independent | 6 December 1931 | 5 March 1955 | 21 years, 4 months | Service interrupted by the abolition of the Free State Seanad | |
William Bedell Stanford | Independent | 21 April 1948 | 24 July 1969 | 21 years, 3 months | ||
Michael Yeats | Fianna Fáil | 14 August 1951 | 12 March 1980 | 21 years | Did not serve in 8th and 9th Seanad | |
James Dooge | Fine Gael | 14 December 1961 | 3 April 1987 | 20 years, 10 months | Did not serve in 14th Seanad | |
Micheál Prendergast | Fine Gael | 22 July 1954 | 26 May 1977 | 20 years, 9 months | Did not serve from March 1973 to April 1975 | |
Brian Mullooly | Fianna Fáil | 8 October 1981 | 26 June 2002 | 20 years, 8 months | ||
Brendan Ryan | Independent | 13 May 1982 | 22 July 2007 | 20 years, 5 months | Did not serve in 20th Seanad | |
Eddie Bohan | Fianna Fáil | 25 April 1987 | 22 July 2007 | 20 years, 2 months | ||
Don Lydon | Fianna Fáil | 25 April 1987 | 22 July 2007 | 20 years, 2 months | ||
Bernard McGlinchey | Fianna Fáil | 14 December 1961 | 21 December 1982 | 20 years, 2 months | Did not serve in 15th Seanad | |
Patrick Quinlan | Independent | 22 May 1957 | 26 May 1977 | 20 years |
†Serving senator
Oldest living former office-holders
Aged 85 or older:
Name | Office(s) held | Date of birth | Age |
---|---|---|---|
Eddie Filgate | TD | 16 September 1915 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. |
T. K. Whitaker | Senator | 8 December 1916 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. |
Liam Cosgrave | Taoiseach | 13 April 1920 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. |
Joseph Dowling | TD / Senator | 2 February 1922 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. |
Thomas Finlay | TD / Chief Justice | 17 September 1922 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. |
Seán Treacy | Ceann Comhairle | 23 September 1923 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. |
Donal Creed | TD | 7 September 1924 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. |
Patrick Byrne | TD | 2 April 1925 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. |
Hugh Conaghan | TD | 6 May 1926 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. |
Patrick Lalor | TD | 21 July 1926 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. |
Tom Fitzpatrick | TD | 29 July 1926 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. |
Tom O'Donnell | TD | 30 August 1926 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. |
John A. Murphy | Senator | 17 January 1927 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. |
Jimmy Leonard | TD | 5 June 1927 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. |
Maurice Hayes | Senator | 8 July 1927 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. |
Jackie Fahey | TD | 23 January 1928 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. |
Joan Burke | TD | 8 February 1928 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. |
William J. Murphy | TD | 17 May 1928 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. |
Peter Barry | TD | 10 August 1928 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. |
Patrick Norton | TD / Senator | 1928 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist.+ |
Richie Ryan | TD / MEP | 27 February 1929 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. |
Oldest ever office-holders
Office holders aged 75 or older:
Name | Office | Age | Year |
---|---|---|---|
Éamon de Valera | President | Retired aged 90 | 1973 |
Gerald Boland | Senator | Retired aged 84 | 1969 |
Seán MacEntee | TD | Retired aged 80 | 1969 |
Maurice Hayes | Senator | Retired aged 80 | 2007 |
Charles Fagan | TD | Retired aged 80 | 1961 |
Jackie Healy-Rae | TD | Retired aged 79 | 2011 |
Feargal Quinn | Senator | In office aged Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | — |
James Everett | TD | Died aged 78 | 1967 |
James Ryan | Senator | Retired aged 77 | 1969 |
Seán T. O'Kelly | President | Retired aged 77 | 1959 |
P. J. Sheehan | TD | Retired aged 77 | 2011 |
Rory O'Hanlon | TD | Retired aged 77 | 2011 |
Paddy Smith | TD | Retired aged 76 | 1977 |
Ann Ormonde | Senator | Lost seat aged 76 | 2011 |
Labhrás Ó Murchú | Senator | In office aged Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | — |
Youngest ever office-holders
Name | Office | Age on election | Year elected |
---|---|---|---|
William J. Murphy | TD | 21y 1m | 1949 |
Joseph Sweeney | TD | 21y 6m | 1918 |
Lorcan Allen | TD | 21y 6m | 1961 |
Kathleen O'Connor | TD | 21y 7m | 1956 |
Ivan Yates | TD | 21y 8m | 1981 |
Mary Coughlan | TD | 21y 9m | 1987 |
John Bruton | TD | 22y 1m | 1969 |
Paddy Smith | TD | 22y 2m | 1923 |
Miriam Kearney | Senator | 22y 3m | 1981 |
Myra Barry | TD | 22y 4m | 1979 |
Síle de Valera | TD | 22y 6m | 1977 |
Kathryn Reilly | Senator | 22y 7m | 2011 |
Oliver J. Flanagan | TD | 23y 1m | 1943 |
Liam Cosgrave | TD | 23y 2m | 1943 |
Longest surviving cabinet members
Longest surviving Dáil members
Dáil | Election | Members |
---|---|---|
1st Dáil | 1918 | Seán MacEntee (died 1984) |
2nd Dáil | 1921 | Tom Maguire (died 1993) |
3rd Dáil | 1922 | |
4th Dáil | 1923 | |
5th Dáil | 1927 (June) | Seán MacEntee (died 1984) |
6th Dáil | 1927 (Sep) | |
7th Dáil | 1932 | James Dillon (died 1986) |
8th Dáil | 1933 | James McGuire (died 1989) |
9th Dáil | 1937 | James Dillon (died 1986) |
10th Dáil | 1938 | |
11th Dáil | 1943 | Liam Cosgrave |
12th Dáil | 1944 | |
13th Dáil | 1948 | Liam Cosgrave, William J. Murphy |
14th Dáil | 1951 | Liam Cosgrave |
15th Dáil | 1954 | Patrick Byrne, Liam Cosgrave, Thomas Finlay, Kathleen O'Connor |
16th Dáil | 1957 | Patrick Byrne, Liam Cosgrave, Brigid Hogan, Richie Ryan |
17th Dáil | 1961 | Lorcan Allen, Joan Burke, Patrick Byrne, Liam Cosgrave, John Donnellan, Paddy Harte, Brigid Hogan-O'Higgins, Patrick Lalor, Tom O'Donnell, Séamus Pattison, Richie Ryan, Seán Treacy |
Longest lived former office-holders
Aged 90 or more at time of death:
Name | Date of birth | Date of death | Age |
---|---|---|---|
Tom Maguire | 28 March 1892 | 5 July 1993 | 101y 4m |
Eddie Filgate | 16 September 1915 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | |
T. K. Whitaker | 8 December 1916 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | |
Seán Ó Ceallaigh | 17 April 1896 | 15 June 1994 | 98y 1m |
Domhnall Ua Buachalla | 5 February 1866 | 30 October 1963 | 97y 8m |
Philip Brady | 10 June 1898 | 6 January 1995 | 96y 7m |
George Noble Plunkett | 3 December 1851 | 12 March 1948 | 96y 3m |
Liam Cosgrave | 13 April 1920 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | |
Séamus Dolan | 10 December 1914 | 10 August 2010 | 95y 8m |
Kathleen Clarke | 11 April 1878 | 29 September 1972 | 94y 6m |
Robert Barton | 4 March 1881 | 10 August 1975 | 94y 5m |
Joseph Farrell | 1 July 1905 | 24 November 1999 | 94y 5m |
Seán MacEntee | 22 August 1889 | 10 January 1984 | 94y 5m |
Pádraig Faulkner | 12 March 1918 | 1 June 2012 | 94y 2m |
Jack Harte | 10 December 1920 | 9 March 2015 | 94y 2m |
Tony Herbert | 1920 | 6 March 2014 | 94y+ |
Joseph Dowling | 2 February 1922 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | |
Richard Barry | 4 September 1919 | 28 April 2013 | 93y 7m |
Thomas Finlay | 17 September 1922 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | |
Patrick Finucane | 5 December 1890 | 10 April 1984 | 93y 4m |
Thomas Tynan | 1859 | 24 September 1953 | 93y 3m+ |
Peadar O'Donnell | 22 February 1893 | 13 May 1986 | 93y 3m |
Denis Cullen | 23 September 1878 | 26 November 1971 | 93y 2m |
Sam McAughtry | 24 March 1921 | 28 March 2014 | 93y |
Kit Ahern | 13 January 1915 | 27 December 2007 | 92y 11m |
Éamon de Valera | 14 October 1882 | 29 August 1975 | 92y 10m |
William Sheldon | 18 January 1907 | 1 November 1999 | 92y 9m |
Charles Fagan | 1 October 1881 | 8 May 1974 | 92y 7m |
Ted Russell | 1 April 1912 | 28 November 2004 | 92y 7m |
Seán Treacy | 23 September 1923 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | |
Patrick Shanahan | 10 March 1908 | 1 February 2000 | 91y 11m |
Peter Sands | 1 May 1924 | 17 October 2015 | 91y 5m |
Hugh Gibbons | 6 July 1916 | 13 November 2007 | 91y 4m |
Donal Creed | 7 September 1924 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | |
Conor Cruise O'Brien | 3 November 1917 | 18 December 2008 | 91y 1m |
Patrick Byrne | 2 April 1925 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | |
Bryan Cusack | 2 August 1882 | 24 May 1973 | 90y 9m |
Thomas Johnson | 17 May 1872 | 17 January 1963 | 90y 8m |
Patrick McGilligan | 12 April 1889 | 15 November 1979 | 90y 7m |
Shortest lived office-holders
Aged 40 or younger at time of death:
Name | Date of birth | Date of death | Age | Cause of death |
---|---|---|---|---|
Kieran Doherty | 16 October 1955 | 2 August 1981 | 25y | Hunger strike |
Liam Mellows | 25 May 1895 | 8 December 1922 | 27y 6m | Execution during the Irish Civil War |
Michael Collins | 16 October 1890 | 22 August 1922 | 31y 10m | Shot during the Irish Civil War |
Don Davern | 4 March 1935 | 2 November 1968 | 33y 7m | Sudden illness |
Michael Derham | 1889 | 20 November 1923 | 34y 10m- | Sudden illness |
Kevin O'Higgins | 7 June 1892 | 10 July 1927 | 35y 1m | Assassinated by former Civil War opponents |
Billy Fox | 3 January 1939 | 12 March 1974 | 35y 2m | Assassinated during the Troubles |
Harry Boland | 27 April 1887 | 31 July 1922 | 35y 3m | Shot during the Irish Civil War |
Frank Carney | 25 April 1896 | 19 October 1932 | 36y 5m | Ill-health |
Hugh Colohan | 30 September 1894 | 15 April 1931 | 36y 6m | |
Pierce McCan | 2 August 1882 | 6 March 1919 | 36y 7m | Influenza epidemic |
Séamus Ryan | 6 December 1895 | 30 June 1933 | 37y 6m | Sudden illness |
Thomas A. Finlay | 11 October 1893 | 22 November 1932 | 39y 1m | Typhoid fever |
Alfred P. Byrne | 1913 | 26 July 1952 | 39y 6m- | |
Sir Osmond Esmonde | 4 April 1896 | 22 July 1936 | 40y 3m | Sudden illness |
Clement Coughlan | 14 August 1942 | 1 February 1983 | 40y 5m | Traffic accident |
Séamus Dwyer | c.1882 | 20 December 1922 | 40y 11m- | Assassinated during the Irish Civil War |
Joseph Hannigan | 1904 | 1944 | 40y 11m- |
Longest-serving cabinet ministers (in same office)
Name | Office | Years |
---|---|---|
Seán Lemass | Minister for Industry and Commerce | 19 years, 2 months |
Éamon de Valera | Minister for External Affairs | 15 years, 11 months |
Frank Aiken | Minister for External Affairs | 15 years, 3 months |
James Ryan | Minister for Agriculture | 14 years, 10 months |
Thomas Derrig | Minister for Education | 14 years, 1 month |
Gerald Boland | Minister for Justice | 11 years, 4 months |
Oscar Traynor | Minister for Defence | 11 years, 4 months |
Seán MacEntee | Minister for Finance | 10 years, 5 months |
People appointed to cabinet at the start of their first term as TD
Name | Date |
---|---|
Noël Browne | February 1948 |
Kevin Boland | March 1957 |
Martin O'Donoghue | July 1977 |
Alan Dukes | June 1981 |
Niamh Bhreathnach | January 1993 |
Oldest person currently in office
Politicians born before 1945:
Name | Office | Date of birth | Age as of 14 January 2025 |
---|---|---|---|
Feargal Quinn | Senator | 27 November 1936 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. |
Labhrás Ó Murchú | Senator | 14 August 1939 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. |
Michael D. Higgins | President | 18 April 1941 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. |
Seán Kenny | TD | 1 October 1942 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. |
Terry Brennan | Senator | 24 May 1942 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. |
Michael Noonan | TD | 21 May 1943 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. |
Paul Coghlan | Senator | 1 June 1944 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. |
David Norris | Senator | 1 July 1944 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. |
Seán Barrett | TD | 9 August 1944 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. |
Michael Conaghan | TD | September 1944 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. |
Emmet Stagg | TD | 1 October 1944 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. |
Mary White | Senator | 7 October 1944 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. |
Sean Barrett | Senator | 1944 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist.+ |
Youngest person currently in office
Politicians born since 1976:
Name | Office | Date of birth | Age as of 14 January 2025 |
---|---|---|---|
Kathryn Reilly | Senator | 17 September 1988 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. |
Simon Harris | TD | 17 December 1986 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. |
Helen McEntee | TD | June 1986 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist.+ |
Derek Nolan | TD | October 1982 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist.+ |
Eoghan Murphy | TD | April 1982 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist.+ |
Brendan Griffin | TD | March 1982 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist.+ |
Paul Connaughton, Jnr | TD | January 1982 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist.+ |
Robert Troy | TD | January 1982 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist.+ |
Ciara Conway | TD | 13 August 1980 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. |
Lucinda Creighton | TD | 20 January 1980 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. |
James Heffernan | Senator | 3 October 1979 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. |
Lorraine Higgins | Senator | 3 August 1979 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. |
Leo Varadkar | TD | 18 January 1979 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. |
John Paul Phelan | TD | 27 September 1978 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. |
Martin Heydon | TD | 9 August 1978 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. |
Averil Power | Senator | 26 July 1978 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. |
Damien English | TD | 21 February 1978 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. |
Hildegarde Naughton | Senator | 1977 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist.+ |
Alan Farrell | TD | 29 December 1977 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. |
Charlie McConalogue | TD | October 1977 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist.+ |
Brian Ó Domhnaill | Senator | 18 October 1977 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. |
Pearse Doherty | TD | 6 July 1977 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. |
John Lyons | TD | June 1977 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist.+ |
Thomas Byrne | Senator | 1 June 1977 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. |
Patrick O'Donovan | TD | 21 March 1977 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. |
Michael McCarthy | TD | 15 November 1976 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. |
Michael McGrath | TD | 23 August 1976 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. |
Aodhán Ó Ríordáin | TD | July 1976 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist.+ |
Catherine Noone | Senator | 24 June 1976 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. |
Members of the current Government by age
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Name | Date of birth | Age as of 14 January 2025 |
---|---|---|
Michael Noonan | 21 May 1943 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. |
Joan Burton | 1 February 1949 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. |
Frances Fitzgerald | 1 August 1950 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. |
Jan O'Sullivan | 6 December 1950 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. |
Enda Kenny | 24 April 1951 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. |
Richard Bruton | 15 March 1953 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. |
James Reilly | 16 August 1955 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. |
Brendan Howlin | 9 May 1956 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. |
Charles Flanagan | 1 November 1956 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. |
Alex White | 3 December 1958 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. |
Simon Coveney | 16 June 1972 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. |
Paschal Donohoe | 19 September 1974 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. |
Alan Kelly | 13 July 1975 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. |
Leo Varadkar | 18 January 1979 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. |
Heather Humphreys | N/A | N/A |
Longest service (cumulative)
Name | Office(s) | Years |
---|---|---|
Éamon de Valera | TD / President | 55 |
Paddy Smith | TD | 54 |
Frank Aiken | TD | 50 |
James Ryan | TD / Senator | 50 |
Neil Blaney | TD / MEP | 47 |
Gerald Boland | TD / Senator | 46 |
Married couple in the same Oireachtas
Members of both the British Parliament and of the Oireachtas
Name | British Parliament | Oireachtas |
---|---|---|
P. J. Brady | MP 1910–18 | Senator 1927–28 |
Alfie Byrne | MP 1915–18 | TD 1922–28, 1932–56, Senator 1928–31 |
James Campbell, later Lord Glenavy | MP 1898–1900, 1903–17, Peer 1921–31 | Senator 1922–28 |
Bryan Cooper | MP 1910 | TD 1923–30 |
James Cosgrave | MP 1914–18 | TD 1923–27 |
William Duffy | MP 1900–18 | TD 1927 |
Sir John Esmonde | MP 1915–18 | TD 1937–44 |
Sir Thomas Esmonde | MP 1885–1918 | Senator 1922–34 |
Laurence Ginnell | MP 1906–18 | TD 1918–23 |
Benjamin Guinness, 3rd Earl of Iveagh | Peer 1967–92 | Senator 1973–77 |
Edward Haughey, later Lord Ballyedmond | Peer 2004–14 | Senator 1994–2002 |
Hugh Law | MP 1902–18 | TD 1927–32 |
Seamus Mallon | MP 1986–2005 | Senator 1982 |
James O'Mara | MP 1900–07 | TD 1918–21, 1924–27 |
Stephen O'Mara | MP 1886 | Senator 1925–26 |
Earl of Kerry, later Marquess of Lansdowne | MP 1908–18, Peer 1927–36 | Senator 1922–29 |
Horace Plunkett | MP 1892–1900 | Senator 1922–25 |
William Redmond | MP 1910–22 | TD 1923–32 |
First-time records
Women
- First female TD – Constance Markievicz, elected to the First Dáil in 1918
- First female minister – Constance Markievicz who served as Minister for Labour in the First Dáil from 1919–22
- First female Senators – Eileen Costello, Ellen Cuffe, Alice Stopford Green and Jennie Wyse Power, elected or nominated in 1922
- First female Minister of State – Máire Geoghegan-Quinn became Minister of State for Industry and Energy in 1977
- First female cabinet minister since independence – Máire Geoghegan-Quinn became Minister for the Gaeltacht in 1979
- First female President of Ireland – Mary Robinson, who was elected in 1990 and served until 1997
- First female Tánaiste – Mary Harney, appointed in 1997
Religion
- First Jewish TD – Robert Briscoe, Fianna Fáil TD for Dublin South (1932–48) and Dublin South–West (1948–61)
- First Muslim TD – Moosajee Bhamjee, Labour Party TD for Clare from 1992–97
- First Quaker Senator – James G. Douglas, independent Senator from 1922–36 and 1938–57
LGBT people
- First male Senator to publicly identify as gay – David Norris, independent Senator for University of Dublin since 1987.
- First TDs to publicly identify as gay – John Lyons (Labour Party TD) and Dominic Hannigan (Labour Party TD), both elected in 2011.
- First Senator to publicly identify as lesbian – Katherine Zappone, independent Senator since 2011.
- First member of the Oireachtas to be in a recognised same-sex relationship – Katherine Zappone, who married Ann Louise Gilligan in British Columbia, Canada in 2003.
- First serving member of the Oireachtas to come out – Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael TD), first elected in 2007, came out in 2012.
- First serving Cabinet Minister to come out – Leo Varadkar (Fine Gael TD), first elected in 2007, became a Minister in 2011, came out in 2015. Pat Carey (Fianna Fáil) was elected in 1997, and served as a minister from 2010–11 but did not come out until 2015, after his retirement.
Party leaders
Party leaders serving 10 years or more are:
See also
- Families in the Oireachtas
- List of Irish politicians
- List of members of the Oireachtas imprisoned since 1923
- List of members of the Oireachtas imprisoned during the Irish revolutionary period
- List of women in Dáil Éireann
- List of women in Seanad Éireann
- Records of Irish heads of government since 1922
References
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- ↑ The two Houses of the Oireachtas are: Dáil Éireann (lower) and Seanad Éireann (upper).
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ While Mulcahy was a member of the Seanad in 1944, Tom O'Higgins acted as parliamentary party leader.
- ↑ Between 1948 and 1959, John A. Costello served as parliamentary leader.