Seán Ó Fearghaíl, Automatically Re-Elected, Criticises Superficial Political Campaigning On Social Media

Thursday, 2 January 2025 08:59

By Martin Osborne

Mr Ó Fearghaíl had held the Ceann Comhairle position since March 2016, a position that saw him automatically re-elected during the most recent general election.

Former Ceann Comhairle Seán Ó Fearghaíl has criticised politicians for prioritising social media presence over genuine public engagement, warning this approach fuels public disillusionment and low voter turnout.

He urged politicians to rebuild trust through meaningful, in-person interactions rather than relying on superficial online content.

As campaigning increasingly shifted online during the 2024 elections, Ó Fearghaíl said political success lies in listening to citizens directly.

Speaking to the Irish Examiner, he said: "By that I mean, not putting up on social media photographs of ourselves at every dog fight that happens in our constituency because that really has no meaning or benefit, but being on the ground in communities."

He added: "People need to feel that sense of commitment, that sense of being heard, of being respected and seeing their priorities recognised."

Mr Ó Fearghaíl held the Ceann Comhairle position since March 2016, a position that saw him automatically re-elected during the most recent general election.

Verona Murphy was elected as the new Ceann Comhairle of the Dáil last month.

The €255,000 salary attached to the position includes a base salary of €113,679, with an additional allowance of €141,834.

Currently, the salary for the Ceann Comhairle surpasses that of the Taoiseach.