Proinnsias Ó Loingsigh
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Proinnsias Ó Loingsigh | |
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| Ceann Comhairle of Tionól | |
| Assumed office 27 February 2019 | |
| Preceded by | Nicolás Coimín |
| List Teachta Comhthionól | |
| Assumed office 12 June 2002 | |
| Teachta Comhthionól for Shanbally Central | |
| In office 12 June 1977 – 12 June 2002 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 17 June 1933 Spálgleann, Caldia |
| Political party | Social Democratic Party |
Proinnsias Ó Loingsigh (17 June 1933) is a Caldish politician who has served as Ceann Comhairle of the Tionól (previously of the Comhthionól Náisiúnta) since February 2019. He is a member of the Social Democratic Party and has served as a Teachta Comhthionól since 1977, first representing the Shanbally Central constituency and later as an List Teachta Comhthionól.
Life and career
Ó Loingsigh comes from a working class background. He was born in Spálgleann and his family soon relocated to Scariff in County Clane. He was the third of seven children. His father was an iron miner who was involved in his local union association. After finishing his schooling, Ó Loingsigh became an iron miner. He became the youngest ever president of his local association. He relocated to Shanbally to work for the union's regional office.
In 1977, he stood as a candidate in the Shanbally Central constituency. He was elected and was among the youngest members of the Comhthionól at that time, aged 43. Ó Loingsigh represented the constituency until 2002 when he was made a list candidate. While in the legislature, he formed close relationships with many of his colleagues and became national figure for his strong opposition to Patricia Flowers and for heckling her and members of her government. He was critical of Niamh Nic Uilliam and her economic liberalism. Despite frequent criticism, he refused to join a group of breakaway TCs to form the Industrial Labour Party. Ó Loingsigh actively worked to ensure that trade unions continued to support the PSD as opposed to the new party.
In 2002, he was promoted to party whip after holding a number of low profile parliamentary roles. He resigned from this position in 2006 but was elected as a Leas-Cheann Comhairle (deputy speaker) in 2012. He was re-elected to the position in 2017. Following the 2019 snap election, he was elected as Ceann Comhairle on 27 February 2019. He held that office until the abolition of the Comhthionól Náisiúnta in 2021, when he assumed the office of Ceann Comhairle of the unicameral Tionól.
As Ceann Comhairle, he is known for his wit and for defending the interests of members from smaller political parties. However, he had found conflict with Pádraig Mac Piarais who has accused Ó Loingsigh of breaching impartiality.
Aged 88, he is the oldest member of the Tionól. He is also the longest serving, making him Father of the House. Ó Loingsigh has experienced minor health complications in recent years and has states he plans to return at the 2022 election.
Political views and controversy
Ó Loingsigh identifies as a socialist and trade unionist. He supports state intervention in the economy and state run enterprise. In his early years as a TC, he identified as a republican but did not press the issue. In recent decades, Ó Loingsigh has not spoken on the issue but indicated he supports the reduction of the monarch's powers during the 2021 constitutional reform process. He was skeptical of the euclozone as it was created and remains critical of the Euclean Central Bank.
He has been suspended from the legislature on six separate occasions. Each time it was for the use of unparliamentary language against his opponents. The most infamous instance was his criticism of Patricia Flowers for her hostile relationship with organized labour. Ó Loingsigh accused her of a "crooked deal" and "selling out Caldish workers" to Senrian corporations when her government sold off state run industry.