Editing Ceann Comhairle (section)

==History==
The position of Ceann Comhairle was created on the first day of the Dáil on 21 January 1919, when it was first established as a [[Dáil Éireann (Irish Republic)|breakaway revolutionary parliament]].<ref name=history>{{cite web |title=Ceann Comhairle – History |work=Houses of the Oireachtas |url=http://www.oireachtas.ie/parliament/tdssenators/officeholders/ceanncomhairleswebsite/history/ |access-date=18 October 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110821014239/http://www.oireachtas.ie/parliament/tdssenators/officeholders/ceanncomhairleswebsite/history/ |archive-date=21 August 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The first Ceann Comhairle was [[Cathal Brugha]], who served for only one day, presiding over the Dáil's first meeting, before leaving the post to become [[President of Dáil Éireann]]. The office was continued under the 1922–1937 [[Irish Free State]], the constitution of which referred to the office-holder as the "Chairman of [[Dáil Éireann (Irish Free State)|Dáil Éireann]]". The practice of automatically re-electing the Ceann Comhairle in a general election was introduced by a constitutional amendment in 1927.{{sfn|O'Connor|O'Halloran|2008|pages=124–127}}<ref>{{cite Irish legislation|year=1927|number=6|name=[[Constitution (Amendment No. 2) Act 1927]]|date=19 March 1927|section=1|stitle=Re-election at general election of outgoing Chairman of Dáil Eireann|access-date=8 April 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite Irish legislation|year=1927|number=21|name=Electoral (Amendment) Act 1927|date=22 May 1927|section=2|stitle= Re-election of outgoing Ceann Comhairle|access-date=8 April 2021}}</ref> The outgoing Ceann Comhairle is returned at the election for their former party.<ref>See e.g. {{cite web |title=Election results and transfer of votes in general election (March, 1957) for sixteenth Dáil and bye-elections to fifteenth Dáil (1954-1957) |url=https://opac.oireachtas.ie/Data/Library3/Official%20Publications/pdf/16thDail_March1957_ByeElections15thDail_1954_1957.pdf |page=25 |website=Houses of the Oireachtas |publisher=Dublin Stationery Office |access-date=17 August 2022 |date=December 1957}} and {{Cite web |title=33rd DÁIL GENERAL ELECTION 8 February 2020 Election Results |url=https://data.oireachtas.ie/ie/oireachtas/electoralProcess/electionResults/dail/2020/2020-05-01_33rd-dail-general-election-results_en.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200515140252/https://data.oireachtas.ie/ie/oireachtas/electoralProcess/electionResults/dail/2020/2020-05-01_33rd-dail-general-election-results_en.pdf |archive-date=15 May 2020 |access-date=17 August 2022 |website=Houses of the Oireachtas |pages=64, 65, 107}}</ref>

Following the [[Constitution (Amendment No. 27) Act 1936|abolition]] on 11 December 1936 of the office of [[Governor-General of the Irish Free State|Governor-General]], the Ceann Comhairle was assigned some of the former office's ceremonial functions, including [[Signing into law|signing bills into law]] and convening and [[Dissolution of parliament|dissolving]] the Dáil. These powers were transferred to the new office of [[President of Ireland]] when a [[Constitution of Ireland|new Constitution]] came into force [[Adoption of the Constitution of Ireland#Coming into force|on 29 December 1937]], being carried out by the Presidential Commission, which included the Ceann Comhairle, until the first president entered office on 25 June 1938. The new Constitution retained the position of Ceann Comhairle and the practice of automatic re-election.

[[Patrick Hogan (Labour Party politician)|Patrick Hogan]] retired due to ill health in 1967, and died in 1969 before the following election. [[Joseph Brennan (Fianna Fáil politician)|Joseph Brennan]] died in office in 1980. 

[[John O'Donoghue (politician)|John O'Donoghue]] resigned the office in 2009 after an [[John O'Donoghue expenses scandal|expenses scandal]].<ref name="O'Donoghue Resign">{{cite news |date=26 March 2025 |title=Who was John O'Donoghue and why did he resign as Ceann Comhairle?  |url=https://www.rte.ie/news/politics/2025/0326/1504166-ceann-comhairle-resign/ |work=[[RTÉ News]] |access-date=26 March 2025}}</ref> As an ordinary TD he was no longer entitled to be returned automatically at [[2011 Irish general election|2011 general election]], in which he lost his seat.

The Ceann Comhairle was first elected by [[secret ballot]] in [[2016 Ceann Comhairle election|2016]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/election-2016/news/race-to-be-ceann-comhairle-heats-up-as-secret-ballot-to-be-used-for-the-first-time-in-election-34508398.html |title=Race to be Ceann Comhairle heats up as secret ballot to be used for the first time in election |date=3 March 2016 |access-date=4 March 2016 |archive-date=29 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210529180837/https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/election-2016/news/race-to-be-ceann-comhairle-heats-up-as-secret-ballot-to-be-used-for-the-first-time-in-election-34508398.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

Following the [[2024 Irish general election|2024 general election]], a group of Independent TDs requested that Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael support [[Verona Murphy]] becoming Ceann Comhairle as a condition of their support for government formation.<ref>{{cite news |last=McQuinn |first=Cormac |date=17 December 2025 |title=Harris and Fine Gael join Fianna Fáil in backing Verona Murphy for Ceann Comhairle |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/politics/2024/12/17/outgoing-ceann-comhairle-says-it-is-not-right-to-use-role-as-government-bargaining-chip/ |work=[[The Irish Times]] |access-date=26 March 2025}}</ref> The request was accepted and with their backing, Murphy won the [[2024 Ceann Comhairle election]]. In doing so, Murphy became the first woman to ever hold the role.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Ó Broin |first=Cian |last2=Molony |first2=Senan |date=17 December 2024 |title=Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin backing Verona Murphy for ceann comhairle, hinting at coalition deal with Independents |url=https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/fianna-fail-leader-micheal-martin-backing-verona-murphy-for-ceann-comhairle-hinting-at-coalition-deal-with-independents/a868628681.html |access-date=17 December 2024 |work=Irish Independent |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Wilson |first=Jade |date=18 December 2024 |title=Dáil live updates: Verona Murphy elected as first female ceann comhairle |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/politics/oireachtas/2024/12/18/dail-live-updates-verona-murphy-elected-as-ceann-comhairle/ |access-date=18 December 2024 |work=[[The Irish Times]]}}</ref> However, the move was criticised, particularly by the Opposition parties, as traditionally the Ceann Comhairle is supposed to neutral and unaligned in the Dáil. Critics suggested Murphy would have to be loyal to the government if she owed her position to their support.<ref>{{cite news |last=McNally |first=Tadgh  |date=18 December 2024 |title=Murphy endorsement meets criticism as FF and FG accused of using Ceann Comhairle role as a 'bargaining chip' |url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/politics/arid-41538740.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com |work=[[Irish Examiner]] |location= |publisher= |access-date=26 March 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Maguire |first=Mairead |date=18 December 2025 |title=Fianna Fáil TD questions Verona Murphy's impartiality ahead of Ceann Comhairle election |url=https://www.thejournal.ie/fianna-fail-td-questions-verona-murphys-impartiality-ahead-of-ceann-comhairle-election-6575597-Dec2024/?utm_source=chatgpt.com |work=[[TheJournal.ie]] |location= |publisher= |access-date=26 March 2025}}</ref>

On 1 April 2025, a vote of confidence was held in a Ceann Comhairle for the first time. This arose in response to the [[2025 Dáil speaking rights dispute|speaking rights dispute]].<ref name="26 March No Con RTÉ">{{cite news |last=Lehane |first=Mícheál |date=26 March 2025 |title=Government to vote confidence in Ceann Comhairle  |url=https://www.rte.ie/news/politics/2025/0326/1504064-ireland-politics/ |work=[[RTÉ News]] |location= |publisher= |access-date=26 March 2025 }}</ref> The motion of confidence in Verona Murphy was agreed by a vote of 96 to 71, with 2 abstentions.