Overview
- Seán Barrett, whose death was reported Monday, was 81 and is survived by his wife Sheila, his children and grandchildren.
- He represented Dún Laoghaire for 34 years, first elected in 1981, serving from 1981 to 2002 and again from 2007 to 2020.
- He held Cabinet roles including Minister for Defence and Minister for the Marine and served twice as Government chief whip under Garret Fitzgerald in the 1980s and John Bruton from 1994 to 1997.
- As Ceann Comhairle, the Dáil’s presiding officer, from 2011 to 2016, he enforced order in the chamber and launched Oireachtas TV to let the public watch debates and committee work.
- Tánaiste Simon Harris called him a “distinguished parliamentarian” and Taoiseach Micheál Martin said he gave “distinguished service,” praising his fairness, authority and commitment to public life.