Records of members of the Oireachtas

This is a list of records relating to the Oireachtas, the national parliament of Ireland, which consists of the President of Ireland, and two Houses, Dáil Éireann, a house of representatives whose members are known as Teachtaí Dála or TDs, and Seanad Éireann, a senate whose members are known as senators.

The First Dáil 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.

1,292 TDs have served in the Dáil between 1919 and 2018. The title Father of the Dáil is usually and unofficially conferred on the longest-serving member.

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. Unless stated, the TD listed did not stand in the end-date election.

Name Party Elected
b = by-election		 Vacated seat Yrs/Mnths Notes
Paddy Smith Anti-Treaty Sinn Féin/ Fianna Fáil 1923 1977 53y 11m Former cabinet minister
Frank Aiken Anti-Treaty Sinn Féin/ Fianna Fáil 1923 1973 49y 6m Longest-serving cabinet minister (1932–48,1951–54,1957–69)
Neil Blaney Fianna Fáil/ Independent Fianna Fáil 1948 b Died on 8 November 1995 46y 11m Former cabinet minister
Thomas McEllistrim Anti-Treaty Sinn Féin/ Fianna Fáil 1923 1969 45y 10m
Séamus Pattison Labour Party 1961 2007 45y 8m Former Ceann Comhairle
Seán MacEntee Sinn Féin/ Fianna Fáil 1918 1969 45y 6m Did not serve between the general elections of 1922 and June 1927
James Ryan Sinn Féin/ Fianna Fáil 1918 1965 45y 2m Long-serving cabinet minister. Did not serve between the general elections of 1922 and 1923 (1y 2m)
Seán Lemass Anti-Treaty Sinn Féin/ Fianna Fáil 1924 b 1969 44y 7m Taoiseach from 1959 until 1966
James Everett Labour Party/ National Labour Party 1923 Died on 18 December 1967 44y 4m Former cabinet minister; leader of the breakaway National Labour Party 1944–50
Oliver J. Flanagan Fine Gael 1943 1987 43y 8m Former cabinet minister
Martin Corry Fianna Fáil June 1927 1969 41y 10m
Patrick McGilligan Cumann na nGaedheal/ Fine Gael 1923 b 1965 41y 5m Attorney General from 1954 until 1957
Richard Mulcahy Sinn Féin/ Cumann na nGaedheal/ Fine Gael 1918 1961 41y Did not serve between general elections of 1937 and 1938, nor between those of 1943 and 1944
Éamon de Valera Sinn Féin/ Fianna Fáil 1918 Elected President in 1959 40y 6m Former Taoiseach and President of Ireland; first elected to Westminster at the June 1917 by-election
Cormac Breslin Fianna Fáil 1937 1977 40y Ceann Comhairle from 1967 until 1973
Patrick Hogan Labour Party 1923 Died on 24 January 1969 39y 8m Did not serve between the general elections of 1938 and 1943, nor between those of 1944 and 1948
Gerald Boland Anti-Treaty Sinn Féin/ Fianna Fáil 1923 1961 38y 2m Long-serving cabinet minister
Liam Cosgrave Fine Gael 1943 1981 38y Taoiseach from 1973 until 1977
Dan Spring Labour Party/ National Labour Party 1943 1981 38y Member of the breakaway National Labour Party 1944-50
Ruairi Quinn Labour Party 1977 2016 38y Senator from 1981 to February 1982
Michael Kennedy Fianna Fáil June 1927 1965 37y 10m
Seán Brady Fianna Fáil September 1927 1965 37y 7m
Bob Briscoe Fianna Fáil September 1927 1965 37y 7m
James Dillon Centre Party/ Fine Gael 1932 1969 37y 4m Leader of Fine Gael from 1959 until 1965
David Andrews Fianna Fáil 1965 2002 37y 1m
Ben Briscoe Fianna Fáil 1965 2002 37y 1m
Bobby Molloy Fianna Fáil/ Progressive Democrats 1965 2002 37y 1m Joined Progressive Democrats in 1986; previously Fianna Fáil
Brendan Corish Labour Party 1945 b February 1982 36y 2m Tánaiste from 1973 until 1977
Dan Breen Anti-Treaty Sinn Féin/ Fianna Fáil 1923 1965 35y 11m Did not serve between the general elections of June 1927 and 1932
Paddy Harte Fine Gael 1961 1997 35y 8m Former Father of the Dáil
Charles Haughey Fianna Fáil 1957 1992 35y 8m Taoiseach on three occasions
Seán Treacy Labour Party/ Independent 1961 1997 35y 8m Ceann Comhairle from 1987 until 1997
John A. Costello Fine Gael 1933 1969 35y 7m Did not serve between the general elections of 1943 and 1944. Taoiseach on two occasions.
Vivion de Valera Fianna Fáil 1945 b 1981 35y 7m Son of Éamon de Valera
John Bruton Fine Gael 1969 Resigned on 31 October 2004 35y 4m Taoiseach from 1994 until 1997. Resigned as TD to become EU Ambassador to the United States
Erskine H. Childers Fianna Fáil 1938 Elected President in 1973 35y Former Tánaiste and President of Ireland
Frank Fahy Sinn Féin/ Fianna Fáil 1918 Died on 14 July 1953 34y 10m Former Ceann Comhairle
Mícheál Ó Móráin Fianna Fáil 1938 1973 34y 8m Former cabinet minister
Maurice E. Dockrell Fine Gael 1943 1977 34y 1m
Desmond O'Malley Fianna Fáil/ Progressive Democrats 1968 b 2002 34y Founder of the Progressive Democrats and former cabinet minister
Dinny McGinley Fine Gael February 1982 2016 34y
Bertie Ahern Fianna Fáil 1977 2011 33y 8m Former Taoiseach
Rory O'Hanlon Fianna Fáil 1977 2011 33y 8m Former Ceann Comhairle
Jim O'Keeffe Fine Gael 1977 2011 33y 8m Former cabinet minister
Michael Woods Fianna Fáil 1977 2011 33y 8m Former cabinet minister
Daniel Morrissey Cumann na nGaedheal/ Fine Gael 1923 1957 33y 7m Former cabinet minister
Jack Lynch Fianna Fáil 1948 1981 33y 4m Taoiseach on two occasions
John Browne Fianna Fáil November 1982 2016 33y 3m
Séamus Kirk Fianna Fáil November 1982 2016 33y 3m Former Ceann Comhairle
Gerald Bartley Fianna Fáil 1932 1965 33y 2m Former cabinet minister
Seán Mac Eoin Cumann na nGaedheal/ Fine Gael 1932 1965 33y 2m Former cabinet minister
Michael P. Kitt Fianna Fáil 1975 b 2016 32y 11m Senator from 1977 to 1981, and from 2002 to 2007
Noel Davern Fianna Fáil 1969 2007 32y 4m Did not serve from 11 June 1981 to 17 February 1987 (5y 8m)
Addendum
Mary Harney Fianna Fáil/ PD/ Independent 1981 2011 29y 8m Former Tánaiste and longest ever serving female TD. Also served in the Seanad from 1977–81

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.

Name Party Elected
b = by-election		 Vacated seat Months Notes
Kieran Doherty Anti H-Block 1981 Died on 2 August 1981 2m Died after 73 days on hunger strike
Pierce McCan Sinn Féin 1918 Died in prison of influenza, 6 March 1919 3m The Westminster election was on 14 December 1918, but the First Dáil did not sit until 21 January 1919
Michael Carter Farmers' Party June 1927 Lost seat in September 1927 3m
Arthur Clery Independent June 1927 Lost seat in September 1927 3m
Denis Cullen Labour Party June 1927 Lost seat in September 1927 3m
William Duffy National League Party June 1927 Did not contest September 1927 3m
Thomas Falvey Farmers' Party June 1927 Lost seat in September 1927 3m
Hugh Garahan Farmers' Party June 1927 Lost seat in September 1927 3m
John Gill Labour Party June 1927 Lost seat in September 1927 3m
Gilbert Hewson Independent June 1927 Lost seat in September 1927 3m
John Horgan National League Party June 1927 Lost seat in September 1927 3m
John Jinks National League Party June 1927 Lost seat in September 1927 3m
Gilbert Lynch Labour Party June 1927 Lost seat in September 1927 3m
Eugene Mullen Fianna Fáil June 1927 Lost seat in September 1927 3m
David O'Gorman Farmers' Party June 1927 Lost seat in September 1927 3m
Timothy Quill Labour Party June 1927 Lost seat in September 1927 3m
James Shannon Labour Party June 1927 Lost seat in September 1927 3m
Thomas Tynan Fianna Fáil June 1927 Lost seat in September 1927 3m
Frank Drohan Sinn Féin 1921 Resigned on 5 January 1922 7m Returned unopposed on 24 May 1921; the Second Dáil convened on 16 August 1921.
George Lee Fine Gael June 2009 b Resigned on 8 February 2010 8m
Carrie Acheson Fianna Fáil 1981 Lost seat in February 1982 9m
Paddy Agnew Anti H-Block 1981 Did not contest February 1982 9m
Carey Joyce Fianna Fáil 1981 Lost seat in February 1982 9m
Seán Dublin Bay Loftus Independent 1981 Lost seat in February 1982 9m
Hugh Kennedy Cumann na nGaedheal October 1923 b Resigned on 25 June 1924 9m Resigned to become Chief Justice of the Irish Free State
Thomas Bellew Fianna Fáil February 1982 Lost seat in November 1982 10m
Gerry Brady Fianna Fáil February 1982 Lost seat in November 1982 10m
Ned Brennan Fianna Fáil February 1982 Lost seat in November 1982 10m
Jim Corr Fine Gael February 1982 Did not contest November 1982 10m
Henry Coyle Cumann na nGaedheal 1923 Disqualified on 9 May 1924 10m Sentenced to three years' imprisonment for bouncing cheques
Alexis FitzGerald Jnr Fine Gael February 1982 Lost seat in November 1982 10m
Patrick Gallagher Sinn Féin (Workers Party) February 1982 Lost seat in November 1982 10m
Thomas O'Mahony Cumann na nGaedheal 1923 Died on 20 July 1924 11m
Richard Stapleton Labour Party 1943 Lost seat in 1944 11m

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.[1]

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 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 22 October 2018)		 Notes
Enda Kenny Fine Gael TD 1975 b 42 years, 11 months Father of the Dáil and former Taoiseach
Michael D. Higgins Labour Party Senator / TD /
President		 1973 40 years, 2 month(s)
(as of Jul 2018)		 Current President of Ireland
Did not hold office between 1977 and 1981, and February and November 2011
Michael Noonan Fine Gael TD 1981 37 years, 4 months
Bernard Durkan Fine Gael TD / Senator 1981 37 years, 4 months Senator from February 1982 to November 1982
Richard Bruton Fine Gael Senator / TD 1981 37 years Senator from October 1981 to February 1982
Shane Ross Independent Senator / TD 1981 37 years Senator from 1981 to 2011
Willie O'Dea Fianna Fáil TD February 1982 36 years, 8 months
Brendan Howlin Labour Party Senator / TD 1983 35 years, 7 months Senator from 1983 to 1987
Seán Barrett Fine Gael TD 1981 31 years, 11 month(s)
(as of Jul 2018)		 Did not hold office between 2002 and 2007
Michael Lowry Independent TD 1987 31 years, 8 months
Terry Leyden Fianna Fáil TD / Senator 1977 31 years, 3 month(s)
(as of Jul 2018)		 Did not hold office for 9y, 9m between December 1992 and September 2002
David Norris Independent Senator 1987 31 years, 5 months
Micheál Martin Fianna Fáil TD 1989 29 years, 4 months Leader of Fianna Fáil
Éamon Ó Cuív Fianna Fáil Senator / TD 1989 29 years Senator from 1989 to 1992
Charles Flanagan Fine Gael TD 1987 26 years, 4 month(s)
(as of Jul 2018)		 Did not hold office between 2002 and 2007
Seán Haughey Fianna Fáil TD 1987 26 years, 2 month(s)
(as of Jul 2018)		 Senator from 1987 to 1992. Did not hold office between February 2011 and February 2016.
Tommy Broughan Independents 4 Change TD 1992 25 years, 10 months
Willie Penrose Labour Party TD 1992 25 years, 10 months
Róisín Shortall Social Democrats TD 1992 25 years, 10 months
Brendan Smith Fianna Fáil TD 1992 25 years, 10 months
Pat "the Cope" Gallagher Fianna Fáil TD 1981 25 years, 3 month(s)
(as of Jul 2018)		 Did not hold office between June 1997 and May 2002 and between June 2009 and February 2016.
Billy Kelleher Fianna Fáil Senator / TD 1993 25 years, 8 months Senator from 1993 to 1997
Paddy Burke Fine Gael Senator 1993 25 years, 8 months Former Cathaoirleach
Jan O'Sullivan Labour Party TD / Senator 1993 24 years, 7 month(s)
(as of Jul 2018)		 Senator from 1993 to 1997
Did not hold office between June 1997 and March 1998
Michael Ring Fine Gael TD 1994 b 24 years, 4 months
Michael Creed Fine Gael TD 1989 24 years, 1 month(s)
(as of Jul 2018)		 Did not hold office between May 2002 and May 2007
Denis O'Donovan Fianna Fáil Senator / TD 1989 23 years, 11 month(s)
(as of Jul 2018)		 Did not hold office between December 1992 and September 1997
Denis Naughten Independent Senator / TD 1997 21 years, 8 months Senator from January to June 1997
John McGuinness Fianna Fáil TD 1997 21 years, 4 months
Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin Sinn Féin TD 1997 21 years, 4 months
David Stanton Fine Gael TD 1997 21 years, 4 months
Michael Moynihan Fianna Fáil TD 1997 21 years, 4 months
Seán Fleming Fianna Fáil TD 1997 21 years, 4 months

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.

  •      denotes serving senator
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
David Norris Independent 25 April 1987 Incumbent 31 years, 5 months
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
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
Paschal Mooney Fianna Fáil 25 April 1987 April 2016 26 years, 4 months Did not serve 2y, 6m from July 2007 to January 2010
John Counihan Independent 6 December 1922 25 July 1951 26 years, 3 months Did not serve in 2nd Seanad
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
Paddy Burke Fine Gael 17 February 1993 Incumbent 25 years, 8 months
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
Feargal Quinn Independent 17 February 1993 April 2016 23 years, 2 months
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
Paul Coghlan Fine Gael 20 September 1997 Incumbent 21 years, 1 month
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

Oldest living former office-holders

Aged 85 or older:

Name Office(s) held Date of birth Age
Patrick Byrne TD 2 April 1925 93 years, 6 months
Hugh Conaghan TD 6 May 1926 92 years, 5 months
Tom Fitzpatrick TD 29 July 1926 92 years, 2 months
Tom O'Donnell TD 30 August 1926 92 years, 1 month
John A. Murphy Senator 17 January 1927 91 years, 9 months
Jimmy Leonard TD 5 June 1927 91 years, 4 months
Jackie Fahey TD 23 January 1928 90 years, 8 months
William J. Murphy TD 17 May 1928 90 years, 5 months
Patrick Norton TD / Senator 1928 89 years, 9 months+
Richie Ryan TD / MEP 27 February 1929 89 years, 7 months
Tras Honan Senator 4 January 1930 88 years, 9 months
Kieran Crotty TD 30 August 1930 88 years, 1 month
Patrick Cooney TD / Senator / MEP 2 March 1931 87 years, 7 months
Gerard Lynch TD / Senator 15 June 1931 87 years, 4 months
Thomas Meaney TD 11 August 1931 87 years, 2 months
Mervyn Taylor TD 28 December 1931 86 years, 9 months
Brigid Hogan-O'Higgins TD 10 March 1932 86 years, 7 months
Eileen Lemass TD / MEP 7 July 1932 86 years, 3 months
Roger Garland TD February 1933 85 years, 7 months+
P. J. Sheehan TD 1 March 1933 85 years, 7 months
Liam Hyland TD / Senator / MEP 24 April 1933 85 years, 5 months

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 Retired aged 79 2016
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
Michael D. Higgins President In office aged 77 years, 6 months —
Paddy Smith TD Retired aged 76 1977
Ann Ormonde Senator Lost seat aged 76 2011
Labhrás Ó Murchú Senator Retired aged 76 2016

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

Government Members
Brugha (1919) Richard Mulcahy (died 1971)
De Valera (1919–21) Éamon de Valera (died 1975)
De Valera (1921–22)
Griffith (1922) Michael Hayes (died 1976)
Collins (1922)
Cosgrave (1922) Ernest Blythe (died 1975)
Cosgrave (1922–23)
Cosgrave (1923–27) Patrick McGilligan (died 1979)
Cosgrave (1927)
Cosgrave (1927–30)
Cosgrave (1930–32)
De Valera (1932–33) Seán MacEntee (died 1984)
De Valera (1933–37)
De Valera (1937)
De Valera (1937–38)
De Valera (1938–43)
De Valera (1943–44)
De Valera (1944–48)
Costello (1948–51) Noël Browne (died 1997)
De Valera (1951–54) Seán MacEntee (died 1984)
Costello (1954–57) Liam Cosgrave (died 2017)
De Valera 1957–59) Kevin Boland (died 2001)
Lemass (1959–61) Patrick Hillery (died 2008)
Lemass (1961–66)
Lemass (1965–66)
Lynch (1966–69) Pádraig Faulkner (died 2012)
Lynch (1969–73) Gerry Collins, Michael O'Kennedy, Desmond O'Malley
Cosgrave (1973–77) Patrick Cooney, Tom O'Donnell, Richie Ryan
Lynch (1977–79) Gerry Collins, Michael O'Kennedy, Desmond O'Malley
Haughey (1979–81) Ray Burke, Gerry Collins, Máire Geoghegan-Quinn, Ray MacSharry,
Michael O'Kennedy, Desmond O'Malley, Michael Woods
FitzGerald (1981–82) John Bruton, Patrick Cooney, Alan Dukes, Liam Kavanagh, Paddy O'Toole

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 (died 2017)
12th Dáil 1944
13th Dáil 1948 William J. Murphy
14th Dáil 1951 Liam Cosgrave (died 2017)
15th Dáil 1954 Patrick Byrne, Kathleen O'Connor
16th Dáil 1957 Patrick Byrne, Brigid Hogan, Richie Ryan
17th Dáil 1961 Lorcan Allen, Patrick Byrne, John Donnellan, Brigid Hogan-O'Higgins, Tom O'Donnell, Richie Ryan

Longest lived former office-holders

Aged 90 or more at time of death:

Name Date of birth Date of death Age
Eddie Filgate 16 September 1915 19 January 2017 101y 4m
Tom Maguire 28 March 1892 5 July 1993 101y 4m
T. K. Whitaker 8 December 1916 9 January 2017 100y 1m
Seán Ó Ceallaigh 17 April 1896 15 June 1994 98y 1m
Domhnall Ua Buachalla 5 February 1866 30 October 1963 97y 8m
Liam Cosgrave 13 April 1920 4 October 2017 97y 6m
Philip Brady 10 June 1898 6 January 1995 96y 7m
George Noble Plunkett 3 December 1851 12 March 1948 96y 3m
Séamus Dolan 10 December 1914 10 August 2010 95y 8m
Thomas Finlay 17 September 1922 3 December 2017 95y 2m
Kathleen Clarke 11 April 1878 29 September 1972 94y 6m
Seán Treacy 23 September 1923 23 March 2018 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+
Richard Barry 4 September 1919 28 April 2013 93y 7m
Patrick Byrne 2 April 1925 93 years, 6 months
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
Donal Creed 7 September 1924 23 November 2017 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
Hugh Conaghan 6 May 1926 92 years, 5 months
Joseph Dowling 2 February 1922 31 May 2014 92y 3m
Tom Fitzpatrick 29 July 1926 92 years, 2 months
Tom O'Donnell 30 August 1926 92 years, 1 month
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
Conor Cruise O'Brien 3 November 1917 18 December 2008 91y 1m
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
Jackie Fahey 23 January 1928 90 years, 8 months
William J. Murphy 17 May 1928 90 years, 5 months
Patrick Lalor 21 July 1926 29 July 2016 90y

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
Séamus Dwyer 15 November 1886 20 December 1922 36y 1m Assassinated during the Irish Civil War
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
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
Katherine Zappone May 2016

Oldest person currently in office

Politicians born before 1945:

Name Office Date of birth Age as of 22 October 2018
Michael D. Higgins President 18 April 1941 77 years, 6 months
Michael Noonan TD 21 May 1943 75 years, 5 months
Paul Coghlan Senator 1 June 1944 74 years, 5 months
David Norris Senator 1 July 1944 74 years, 3 months
Seán Barrett TD 9 August 1944 74 years, 2 months

Youngest person currently in office

Politicians born after 1978:

Name Office Date of birth Age as of 22 October 2018
Fintan Warfield Senator 16 March 1992 26 years, 7 months
Jack Chambers TD 21 November 1990 27 years, 11 months
Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire TD 14 June 1989 29 years, 4 months
Noel Rock TD 11 November 1987 30 years, 11 months
Simon Harris TD 17 December 1986 31 years, 10 months
Lisa Chambers TD 24 August 1986 32 years, 1 month
Helen McEntee TD 8 June 1986 32 years, 4 months
Niall Ó Donnghaile Senator 28 May 1985 33 years, 4 months
Lynn Ruane Senator 20 October 1984 34 years
Maura Hopkins Senator 3 May 1984 34 years, 5 months
Paul Murphy TD 13 April 1983 35 years, 6 months
Peter Burke TD 22 October 1982 36 years
Eoghan Murphy TD 12 April 1982 36 years, 6 months
Brendan Griffin TD 14 March 1982 36 years, 7 months
Robert Troy TD 24 January 1982 36 years, 8 months
Kathleen Funchion TD 22 April 1981 37 years, 6 months
Kate O'Connell TD 3 January 1980 38 years, 9 months
Leo Varadkar TD 18 January 1979 39 years, 9 months

Members of the current Government by age

Name Date of birth Age as of 22 October 2018
Shane Ross 11 July 1949 69 years, 3 months
Richard Bruton 15 March 1953 65 years, 7 months
Katherine Zappone 25 November 1953 64 years, 10 months
Michael Ring 24 December 1953 64 years, 9 months
Charles Flanagan 1 November 1956 61 years, 11 months
Heather Humphreys 14 May 1963 55 years, 5 months
Michael Creed 29 June 1963 55 years, 3 months
Regina Doherty 26 January 1971 47 years, 8 months
Simon Coveney 16 June 1972 46 years, 4 months
Denis Naughten 23 June 1973 45 years, 3 months
Paschal Donohoe 19 September 1974 44 years, 1 month
Leo Varadkar 18 January 1979 39 years, 9 months
Eoghan Murphy 12 April 1982 36 years, 6 months
Simon Harris 17 October 1986 32 years

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

Married couple Oireachtas
Michael O'Higgins Brigid Hogan-O'Higgins 16th Dáil, 17th Dáil and 18th Dáil
Alexis FitzGerald Jnr Mary Flaherty 23rd Dáil
Joe McHugh Olwyn Enright 30th Dáil
Paul Bradford Lucinda Creighton 24th Seanad and 31st Dáil
Martin McAleese Mary McAleese 24th Seanad and President of Ireland

Members of both the British Parliament and of the Oireachtas

This list excludes abstentionist MPs, such as the members of the 1st Dáil and modern Sinn Féin MPs.

Name British Parliament Oireachtas
Dermot Bourke, 7th Earl of Mayo Peer 1890–1927 Senator 1922–27
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
Bernard Forbes, 8th Earl of Granard Peer 1889–1948 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
Ralph Howard, 7th Earl of Wicklow Peer 1905–46 Senator 1922–28
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
Geoffrey Taylour, 4th Marquess of Headfort Peer 1894–1943 Senator 1922–28
Windham Wyndham-Quin,
4th Earl of Dunraven and Mount-Earl		 Peer 1871–1926 Senator 1922–26

First-time records

Women

Religion

  • First Jewish Senator – Ellen Cuffe, appointed to the Irish Free State Seanad Éireann as an independent member (1922–31)
  • First Jewish TD – Robert Briscoe, Fianna Fáil TD for Dublin South (1932–48) and Dublin South-West (1948–61)
  • First openly atheist TD – Jim Kemmy, Labour Party/Democratic Socialist Party TD for Limerick East 1981–82 and 1987–97
  • 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 from 2011–16.
  • 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.
  • First TD to publicly identify as lesbian – Katherine Zappone, independent TD since February 2016.
  • First serving Cabinet Minister to publicly identify as lesbian – Katherine Zappone, independent Minister since May 2016.
  • First Taoiseach to publicly identify as gay – Leo Varadkar (Fine Gael TD), became Taoiseach in June 2017.
  • First serving member of the Oireachtas to enter into a same-sex marriage – Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael TD) in December 2017.

Party leaders

Party leaders serving 10 years or more:

Leader Tenure Party Period Constituency
Éamon de Valera 42y Sinn Féin 1917–26 East Clare / Clare
Fianna Fáil 1926–59
Ruairí Ó Brádaigh 39y Sinn Féin 1970–83 Longford–Westmeath
Republican Sinn Féin 1986–2009
Gerry Adams 35y Sinn Féin 1983–2018 Belfast West / Louth
William Norton 28y Labour Party 1932–60 Kildare
Tomás Mac Giolla 26y Sinn Féin 1962–70 Dublin West
Official Sinn Féin 1970–77
Sinn Féin the Workers Party 1977–82
Workers' Party 1982–88
Joseph Blowick 21y Clann na Talmhan 1944–65 Mayo
W. T. Cosgrave 20y Cumann na nGaedheal 1923–33 Kilkenny City / North Kilkenny / Carlow–Kilkenny / Cork Borough
Fine Gael 1934–44
Seán MacBride 19y Clann na Poblachta 1946–65 Dublin County
John Redmond 18y Irish Parliamentary Party 1900–18 Waterford City
Brendan Corish 17y Labour Party 1960–77 Wexford
Richard Mulcahy 15y Fine Gael 1944–59[2][3] Tipperary
Dick Spring 15y Labour Party 1982–97 Kerry North
Enda Kenny 15y Fine Gael 2002–17 Mayo West / Mayo
Bertie Ahern 14y Fianna Fáil 1994–2008 Dublin Finglas / Dublin Central
Mary Harney 14y Progressive Democrats 1993–2006,
2007–08		 Dublin South-West, Dublin Mid-West
Jack Lynch 13y Fianna Fáil 1966–79 Cork City
Charles Haughey 13y Fianna Fáil 1979–92 Dublin North-Central
Margaret Buckley 13y Sinn Féin 1937–50 None
Liam Cosgrave 12y Fine Gael 1965–77 Dún Laoghaire
John Bruton 11y Fine Gael 1990–2001 Meath
Garret FitzGerald 10y Fine Gael 1977–87 Dublin South-East

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Dáil Éireann – Volume 1 – 21 January 1919, An Rolla". Dáil Éireann Parliamentary Debates (in Irish). Archived from the original on 19 November 2007. Retrieved 14 September 2010.
  2. ↑ While Mulcahy was a member of the Seanad in 1944, Tom O'Higgins acted as parliamentary party leader.
  3. ↑ Between 1948 and 1959, John A. Costello served as parliamentary leader.

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