Ceann Comhairle

The Ceann Comhairle1 is the chairman or speaker of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas (parliament) of the Republic of Ireland. The person who holds the position is elected by members of the Dáil from among their number in the first session after each general election. The current Ceann Comhairle is Dr. Rory O'Hanlon, TD, Deputy for Cavan-Monaghan.

Footnotes

• Ceann Comhairle may be pronounced by English speakers as "kee-ann coarl-a", where the first word rhymes with "crown". It translates from Irish as "head of the council".
• Article 16.6 of the constitution requires that "provision shall be made by law" such that the Ceann Comhairle "be deemed without any actual election to be elected a member of Dáil Éireann". The current law making such provision is the Electoral Act, 1992.
• Count Plunkett briefly chaired the Dáil on 22 January 1919. Seán T. O'Kelly was elected Ceann Comhairle later in the same day.