Selection of the Ceann Comhairle – Houses of the Oireachtas

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<li> <a href="/en/elections/seanad-general-election/" class="">Seanad elections</a> </li> </ul> </li> </ul> </div> </aside> <div class="content col" id="content-start" > <div class="flex-container"> <div class="module text-only-module full"> <div class="simple-content large full" > <p>Find out about the selection of the Ceann Comhairle (chairperson) and the <a href="https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/elections/selection-of-the-ceann-comhairle/#LCC">Leas-Cheann Comhairle (deputy chairperson)</a> of the D谩il.</p> </div> </div> </div> <div class="flex-container"> <div class="module text-only-module full"> <div class="simple-content normal full" > <h2>Selecting the Ceann Comhairle</h2> <p>The first business of a new D谩il after a general election is to select from its Members the Ceann Comhairle. The Ceann Comhairle is selected by secret ballot using the PR-STV (proportional representation with a single transferable vote) system.</p> </div> </div> </div> <div class="flex-container"> <div class="u-reader-section c-content-module -full -right "> <div class="c-content-module__header" > <figure class="c-content-module__figure"> <span> <img src="/assets/Uploads/Ceann-Comhairle-Verona-Murphy-chairs-the-first-session-of-the-Thirty-fourth-Dail-v2.jpg" class="responsive" data-anchor="centre-centre" alt="Ceann Comhairle of the Thirty-fourth D谩il"> </span> </figure> </div> <div class="c-content-module__body" > <h2 class="c-content-module__title u-text-h2"> Ceann Comhairle of the Thirty-fourth D谩il </h2> <div class="c-content-module__cms-content"> <p><span>Deputy </span><a title="Verona Murphy profile page" href="https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/members/member/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08">Verona Murphy</a><span> was selected as <strong>Ceann Comhairle of the Thirty-fourth D谩il</strong> and formally elected by the D谩il on <a title="Election of Deputy Verona Murphy as Ceann Comhairle" href="https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/2024-12-18/8/">18 December 2024</a>.</span></p> <p>Explore the results of the latest and historical ballots or find out more about the <a title="Office holders" href="/en/members/office-holders/">office holders of the Houses of the Oireachtas</a>.</p> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="flex-container"> <div class="centered"> <div id="observablehq-viewof-selectYear-2e954994"></div> <div id="observablehq-viewof-countNoDropdown-2e954994"></div> <br> <div id="observablehq-waffleVotesElectionsPage-2e954994"></div> <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/@observablehq/inspector@5/dist/inspector.css"> <script type="module"> import {Runtime, Inspector} from "https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/@observablehq/runtime@5/dist/runtime.js"; import define from "https://api.observablehq.com/d/2f323e0c9f0e620a@714.js?v=4"; new Runtime().module(define, name => { if (name === "viewof selectYear") return new Inspector(document.querySelector("#observablehq-viewof-selectYear-2e954994")); if (name === "viewof countNoDropdown") return new Inspector(document.querySelector("#observablehq-viewof-countNoDropdown-2e954994")); if (name === "waffleVotesElectionsPage") return new Inspector(document.querySelector("#observablehq-waffleVotesElectionsPage-2e954994")); return ["data","filteredData","names","finalCount","finalCountWithDropdown","totalCount","dataGA","quota","viewof includedNames","waffleVotes1","waffleVotes","waffleVotesYaxis","countPlot","waffleVotes2","ceannCandidates","fxDomain","viewof countNo","viewof countNoGA","finalCountGA","waffleVotesGaeilge"].includes(name); }); </script> </div> </div> <div class="flex-container"> <div class="u-module c-accordion"> <h2 class="c-accordion__title u-text-h2">Find out more</h2> <dl class="c-accordion__items" data-js="accordion" data-js-one-by-one="true"> <dt class="c-accordion__item-title"> <a href="/en/elections/selection-of-the-ceann-comhairle/#" aria-controls="accordion-item-276" class="c-accordion__item-trigger"> <i class="c-accordion__arrow"></i> Who can nominate candidates for election to the Office of Ceann Comhairle? </a> </dt> <dd id="accordion-item-276" aria-expanded="false" class="c-accordion__item-body u-text-cms"> <p>Candidates need to be nominated by at least seven members of D谩il 脡ireann, who must have signed the Roll of Members. Each Member is allowed to nominate only one candidate.</p> <p>Nominations for the Office of Ceann Comhairle must be submitted in writing and received by the Clerk of the D谩il not later than 6pm on the day before the first day the D谩il meets subsequent to a general election. Nominations can be withdrawn at any time up to the close of nominations.</p> </dd> <dt class="c-accordion__item-title"> <a href="/en/elections/selection-of-the-ceann-comhairle/#" aria-controls="accordion-item-277" class="c-accordion__item-trigger"> <i class="c-accordion__arrow"></i> How does the election of the Ceann Comhairle work? </a> </dt> <dd id="accordion-item-277" aria-expanded="false" class="c-accordion__item-body u-text-cms"> <p>If there is more than one candidate, the Ceann Comhairle is selected by secret ballot using the PR-STV (proportional representation with a single transferable vote) system.</p> <p>Where more than one candidate is nominated, the Members of D谩il 脡ireann vote by secret ballot after the nominees' speeches. If no candidate reaches the quota on first preferences, the individual with the fewest votes is eliminated and their votes are redistributed in accordance with their next highest preference. Eliminations and redistributions continue until one nominee reaches the quota or is the only remaining candidate.</p> <p>The successful candidate must be formally elected by the D谩il before taking the Chair of the D谩il.</p> <ul> <li>Find the complete rules on the election of the Ceann Comhairle in <a title="Standing Orders of D谩il 脡ireann" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://data.oireachtas.ie/ie/oireachtas/parliamentaryBusiness/standingOrders/dail/2020/2020-02-17_dail-eireann-standing-orders-relative-to-public-business-2020_en.pdf#page=32" target="_blank">Standing Orders 6 to 10</a> and <a title="Standing Orders of D谩il 脡ireann" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://data.oireachtas.ie/ie/oireachtas/parliamentaryBusiness/standingOrders/dail/2020/2020-02-17_dail-eireann-standing-orders-relative-to-public-business-2020_en.pdf#page=250" target="_blank">Schedule 2 to the Standing Orders of D谩il 脡ireann</a></li> <li>Read the Official Report of the <a title="Selection of candidate and election of Ceann Comhairle of the 33rd D谩il" href="https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/2020-02-20/8/">selection and election of the Ceann Comhairle of the 33rd D谩il</a></li> </ul> </dd> <dt class="c-accordion__item-title"> <a href="/en/elections/selection-of-the-ceann-comhairle/#" aria-controls="accordion-item-278" class="c-accordion__item-trigger"> <i class="c-accordion__arrow"></i> What does the Ceann Comhairle do? </a> </dt> <dd id="accordion-item-278" aria-expanded="false" class="c-accordion__item-body u-text-cms"> <p>The Ceann Comhairle is the Chairperson of D谩il 脡ireann who presides impartially and with authority over the business and proceedings of the House. <a href="/en/members/office-holders/ceann-comhairle/#CCRole">Find out more about the role of the Ceann Comhairle</a>.</p> </dd> <dt class="c-accordion__item-title"> <a href="/en/elections/selection-of-the-ceann-comhairle/#" aria-controls="accordion-item-279" class="c-accordion__item-trigger"> <i class="c-accordion__arrow"></i> What does the Leas-Cheann Comhairle do? </a> </dt> <dd id="accordion-item-279" aria-expanded="false" class="c-accordion__item-body u-text-cms"> <p>The Leas-Cheann Comhairle is the Deputy Chairperson of D谩il 脡ireann. In the absence of the Ceann Comhairle, the Leas-Cheann Comhairle deputises and performs the duties and exercises the authority of the Ceann Comhairle in D谩il proceedings as follows:</p> <p><a class="ss-broken" href="/en/members/office-holders/leas-cheann-comhairle/#LCCRole">Find out more about the role of the Leas-Cheann Comhairle</a><a class="ss-broken" href="/en/members/office-holders/leas-cheann-comhairle/##lccrole"></a></p> </dd> <dt class="c-accordion__item-title"> <a href="/en/elections/selection-of-the-ceann-comhairle/#" aria-controls="accordion-item-280" class="c-accordion__item-trigger"> <i class="c-accordion__arrow"></i> Who has held the Office of Ceann Comhairle in the past? </a> </dt> <dd id="accordion-item-280" aria-expanded="false" class="c-accordion__item-body u-text-cms"> <p>Se谩n 脫 Feargha铆l was Ceann Comhairle of both the Thirty-third and Thirty-second D谩il.</p> <ul> <li><a href="/en/members/office-holders/former-office-holders/">See a list of all previous Cinn Comhairle</a></li> </ul> </dd> </dl> </div> </div> <div class="flex-container"> <div class="u-reader-section c-content-module -full -right "> <div class="c-content-module__header" > <figure class="c-content-module__figure"> <span> <img src="/assets/Uploads/Deputy-John-McGuinness-speaking-in-the-Dail-Chamber.jpg" class="responsive" data-anchor="centre-centre" alt="Leas-Cheann Comhairle of the Thirty-fourth D谩il"> </span> </figure> </div> <div class="c-content-module__body" > <h2 class="c-content-module__title u-text-h2"> Leas-Cheann Comhairle of the Thirty-fourth D谩il </h2> <div class="c-content-module__cms-content"> <p><a title="Deputy John McGuinness" href="https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/members/member/John-McGuinness.D.1997-06-26/"></a><a id="LCC"></a>Deputy John McGuinness<span> was selected as <strong>Leas-</strong><strong>Cheann Comhairle of the Thirty-fourth D谩il</strong> and formally elected by the D谩il on 19 February 2025.</span></p> <p>Explore the results of the latest and 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Selection of the Ceann Comhairle – Houses of the Oireachtas