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.

NamePartyElectedVacated seatDáil ServiceNotesPaddy Smith1923197753y 11mCabinet ministerFrank Aiken1923197349y 6mLongest-serving cabinet minister (1932–1948, 1951–1954, 1957–1969)Neil Blaney1948 bDied on 8 November 199546y 11mCabinet ministerThomas McEllistrim1923196945y 10mSéamus PattisonLabour1961200745y 8mCeann Comhairle (1997–2002)Seán MacEntee1918196945y 6mDid not hold office between the 1922 and June 1927 electionsJames Ryan1918196545y 2mLong-serving cabinet minister. Did not hold office between the 1922 and 1923 elections (1y 2m)Seán Lemass1924 b196944y 7mTaoiseach (1959–1966)James Everett1923Died on 18 December 196744y 4mCabinet minister; leader of the breakaway National Labour (1944–1950)Enda KennyFine Gael1975 b202044y 2mTaoiseach (2011–2017)Oliver J. FlanaganFine Gael1943198743y 8mCabinet ministerBernard DurkanFine Gael1981202443y 5mTD, Senator from February 1982 to November 1982Richard BrutonFine Gael1981202443y 1mCabinet minister; senator from October 1981 to February 1982Martin CorryFianna FáilJune 1927196941y 10mPatrick McGilligan1923 b196541y 5mAttorney General (1954–1957)Richard Mulcahy1918196141yDid not hold office between the 1937 and 1938 elections, nor between those of 1943 and 1944Éamon de Valera1918Elected President in 195940y 6mTaoiseach and President of Ireland; first elected to Westminster at the June 1917 by-electionCormac BreslinFianna Fáil1937197740yCeann Comhairle (1967–1973)Patrick HoganLabour1923Died on 24 January 196939y 8mDid not hold office between the 1938 and 1943 elections, nor between those of 1944 and 1948Michael NoonanFine Gael1981202038y 7mCabinet minister. Leader of Fine Gael (2001–2002)Gerald Boland1923196138y 2mLong-serving cabinet ministerLiam CosgraveFine Gael1943198138yTaoiseach (1973–1977)Dan Spring1943198138yMember of the breakaway National Labour (1944–1950)Ruairi Quinn1977201638ySenator from 1981 to February 1982Michael KennedyFianna FáilJune 1927196537y 10mBrendan HowlinLabour1987202437y 8mCabinet minister; leader of Labour (2016–2020); senator from 1983 to 1987Seán BradyFianna Fáil196537y 7mBob BriscoeFianna FáilSeptember 1927196537y 7mJames Dillon1932196937y 4mLeader of Fine Gael (1959–1965)David AndrewsFianna Fáil1965200237y 1mBen BriscoeFianna Fáil1965200237y 1mBobby Molloy1965200237y 1mJoined Progressive Democrats in 1986; previously Fianna FáilBrendan CorishLabour1945 bFebruary 198236y 2mTánaiste (1973–1977)Dan Breen1923196535y 11mDid not hold office between the June 1927 and 1932 electionsPaddy HarteFine Gael1961199735y 8mFather of the Dáil (1997–2007)Charles HaugheyFianna Fáil1957199235y 8mTaoiseach (1979–1981, 1982, 1987–1992)Seán Treacy1961199735y 8mCeann Comhairle (1987–1997)John A. CostelloFine Gael1933196935y 7mDid not hold office between the 1943 and 1944 elections. Taoiseach (1948–1951, 1954–1957)Vivion de ValeraFianna Fáil1945 b198135y 7mSon of Éamon de ValeraJohn BrutonFine Gael196935y 4mTaoiseach (1994–1997). Resigned as TD to become EU Ambassador to the United StatesErskine H. ChildersFianna Fáil1938Elected President in 197335yTánaiste (1969–1973) and President of Ireland (1973–1974)Frank Fahy1918Died on 14 July 195334y 10mCeann Comhairle (1932–1951)Mícheál Ó MóráinFianna Fáil1938197334y 8mCabinet ministerMaurice E. DockrellFine Gael1943197734y 1mDesmond O'Malley1968 b200234yFounder of the Progressive Democrats and cabinet ministerDinny McGinleyFine GaelFebruary 1982201634yBertie AhernFianna Fáil1977201133y 8mTaoiseach (1997–2008)Rory O'HanlonFianna Fáil1977201133y 8mCeann Comhairle (2002–2007)Jim O'KeeffeFine Gael1977201133y 8mCabinet ministerMichael WoodsFianna Fáil1977201133y 8mCabinet ministerDaniel Morrissey1923195733y 7mCabinet ministerJack LynchFianna Fáil1948198133y 4mTaoiseach (1966–1973, 1977–1979)Seán BarrettFine Gael1981202033y 4mDid not hold office between the 2002 and 2007 elections. Ceann Comhairle (2011–2016) and cabinet minister.John BrowneFianna FáilNovember 1982201633y 3mSéamus KirkFianna FáilNovember 1982201633y 3mCeann Comhairle (2009–2011)Gerald BartleyFianna Fáil1932196533y 2mCabinet ministerSeán Mac Eoin1932196533y 2mCabinet ministerMichael P. KittFianna Fáil1975 b201632y 11mSenator from 1977 to 1981, and from 2002 to 2007Charles FlanaganFine Gael1987202432y 8mCabinet minister; did not hold office between the 2002 and 2007 electionsNoel DavernFianna Fáil1969200732y 4mDid not hold office between the 1981 and 1987 electionsÉamon Ó CuívFianna Fáil1992202431y 11mCabinet minister; senator from 1989 to 1992Róisín Shortall1992202431y 11mCo-leader of the Social Democrats (2015–2023); longest-serving female TDMichael RingFine Gael1994 b202430y 5mCabinet ministerMichael CreedFine Gael1989202430y 4mCabinet minister; did not hold office between the 2002 and 2007 elections

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. NamePartyElectedb = by-electionVacated seatMonthsNotesKieran Doherty 1981Died on 2 August 19812mDied after 73 days on hunger strike; was a TD for 52 daysPierce McCan 1918Died in prison of influenza, 6 March 19193mThe Westminster election was on 14 December 1918, but the First Dáil did not sit until 21 January 1919Michael Carter June 1927Lost seat in September 19273mArthur Clery June 1927Did not contest September 19273mDenis Cullen June 1927Lost seat in September 19273mWilliam Duffy June 19273mThomas Falvey June 1927Lost seat in September 19273mHugh Garahan June 1927Lost seat in September 19273mJohn Gill June 1927Lost seat in September 19273mGilbert Hewson June 1927Lost seat in September 19273mJohn Horgan June 1927Lost seat in September 19273mJohn Jinks June 1927Lost seat in September 19273mGilbert Lynch June 1927Lost seat in September 19273mEugene Mullen June 1927Lost seat in September 19273mDavid O'Gorman June 1927Lost seat in September 19273mTimothy Quill June 1927Lost seat in September 19273mJames Shannon June 1927Lost seat in September 19273mThomas Tynan June 1927Lost seat in September 19273mFrank Drohan 1921Resigned on 5 January 19227mReturned unopposed on 24 May 1921; the Second Dáil convened on 16 August 1921.George Lee June 2009 bResigned on 8 February 20108mCarrie Acheson 1981Lost seat in February 19829mPaddy Agnew 1981Did not contest February 19829mCarey Joyce 1981Lost seat in February 19829m 1981Lost seat in February 19829mHugh Kennedy October 1923 bResigned on 25 June 19249mResigned to become Chief Justice of the Irish Free StateThomas Bellew February 1982Lost seat in November 198210mGerry Brady February 1982Lost seat in November 198210mNed Brennan February 1982Lost seat in November 198210mJim Corr February 1982Did not contest November 198210mHenry Coyle 1923Disqualified on 9 May 192410mSentenced to three years' imprisonment for bouncing chequesAlexis FitzGerald Jnr February 1982Lost seat in November 198210mPatrick Gallagher February 1982Lost seat in November 198210mThomas O'Mahony 1923Died on 20 July 192411mRichard Stapleton 1943Lost seat in 194411m

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. NamePartyElectedVacated Westminster seatMonthsNotesHugh Anderson 1918Resignation in 1919< 3mBy-election was held on 4 March 1919 1918Appointment as Commander of the Irish Guards in 1919< 6mBy-election was held on 27 May 1919Arthur Samuels 1918Appointment to the King's Bench in 1919< 8mBy-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. NamePartyOfficeFirst elected/appointedb = by-electionYears/Months(as of NotesWillie O'Dea TDFebruary 1982Father of the DáilMichael Lowry TD1987Micheál Martin TD1989Leader of Fianna FáilBrendan Smith TD1992John McGuinness TD1997Michael Moynihan TD1997Seán Fleming TD1997Pat "the Cope" Gallagher TD198128 years, 8 months(as of July 2026)TD from 1981 to 1997, 2002 to 2009, 2016 to 2020, and from 2024.Seán Ó Fearghaíl 2000 bSenator from 2000 to 2002Noel Grealish TD2002 TD2002Frank Feighan 200223 years, 10 months(as of July 2026)Senator from 2002 to 2007, and 2016 to 2020. TD from 2007 to 2016 and from 2020.Timmy Dooley 200223 years, 5 months(as of July 2026)Senator from 2002 to 2007, and 2020 to 2024. TD from 2007 to 2020 and from 2024.Michael McDowell 198721 years, 11 month(as ofJuly 2026)Did not hold office between 1989 and 1992, 1997 and 2002, 2007 and 2016. Senator from 2016.

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