Profile of new Ceann Comhairle Seán Ó Fearghaíl

Dogged and determined, the new Ceann Comhairle, Seán Ó Fearghaíl, did not secure a Dáil seat in Kildare until he contested his fifth general election.

He finally became a Fianna Fáil TD in the Kildare South constituency in 2002, having tried unsuccessfully in 1987, 1989, 1992 and 1997.

The 55-year-old was born in Dublin and lives in Athy, Co Kildare. He worked for Dublin Corporation for a period, but is from a long-established farming family in Co Kildare and remains a part-time farmer as well as a public representative.

He has been known to take calls on his mobile phone while busy during calving season.

Mr Ó Fearghaíl is respected and liked across the political divide for what fellow TDs describe as his sincerity and even-handedness.

Colleagues say he is a thorough, dedicated and professional politician. He values loyalty and has a keen eye towards both the local and national political scenes.

He is serious and shrewd but also sociable and unashamedly “likes his dinner in the middle of the day”, according to one who knows him well.

The new Ceann Comhairle served in the Seanad on the agricultural panel from 1997 until 2002, having started his political career on Kildare County Council, where he served from 1985 to 2003.

Known as a family man, Mr Ó Fearghaíl is married to Mary Clare Meaney and the couple has one son and three daughters.

Anti-abortion

He has long held strong anti-abortion views, and his voting record in Leinster House reflects that.

In last month’s general election, he received 6,469 first preference votes and was elected on the final count without reaching the quota.

Mr Ó Fearghaíl had reportedly taken the addition of running mate Fiona O’Loughlin, labelled by some a “gender quota candidate”, to the Fianna Fáil ticket quite badly. But that was forgotten when the pair took seats for the party in the constituency.

‘White coats’

In a colourful turn of phrase, Mr Ó Fearghaíl said that if anybody had suggested six weeks previously that Kildare South would return two Fianna Fáil TDs “they would have sent in the men in the white coats”.

When Fianna Fáil returned to the last Dáil with just 20 seats in 2011, he was appointed spokesman on foreign affairs and trade.

He became his party’s chief whip. He later juggled a number of other responsibilities.

When party leader Micheál Martin reshuffled his front bench in June 2012, Mr Ó Fearghaíl began to speak for the party on constitutional reform and defence, as well as arts and culture.

He joined the Fianna Fáil party in 1979.

When Mr Ó Fearghaíl was nominated for his new role, Mr Martin said the candidate was “passionate about the primacy of Dáil Éireann” and had already demonstrated an ability to work with representatives from all party backgrounds and none.

Yesterday, the new Ceann Comhairle promised to “adjudicate without fear or favour”.