Séamus Pattison
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Séamus Pattison (born April 19, 1936) is an Irish Labour Party politician. He has been a TD for Carlow-Kilkenny since 1961 and was Ceann Comhairle (Chair) of Dáil Éireann from 1997 to 2002.
Pattisons father, former Labour Party TD James Pattison represented Carlow-Kilkenny from 1933-57. After his education the young Pattison became a full time trade union official, serving with the Irish Transport & General Workers Union (ITGWU). He unsuccessfully contested the June 1960 Carlow-Kilkenny by-election but was elected in the 1961 General Election and has held his seat ever since.
Pattison served as Mayor of Kilkenny on three occasions, 1967, 1976 and 1992. In 1981 he became an MEP for Leinster but resigned his seat in 1983 when he was appointed Minister of State at the Department of Social Welfare.
He was unanimously elected Ceann Comhairle of Dáil Éireann on June 26, 1997, serving for the entire 28th Dáil. Since 2002 he has acted as Leas-Cheann Comhairle (Deputy-Chairman) of Dáil Éireann.
He was also a member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.
Pattison is the longest serving current TD and Father of the Dáil. As-of March 4, 2006, he has 44 years, 5 months of service and is the 8th longest serving TD ever.
In September 2005 he announced he would retire at the next general election and Labour Party county councillor, Michael O'Brien was selected in February 2006 to contest the seat.
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