Mattie McGrath
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1 September 1958
Mattie McGrath | |
|---|---|
.jpg) McGrath in 2022 | |
| Teachta Dála | |
| Assumed office November 2024 | |
| In office May 2007 – February 2016 | |
| Constituency | Tipperary South |
| In office February 2016 – November 2024 | |
| Constituency | Tipperary |
| South Tipperary County Councillor | |
| In office 1999–2007 | |
| In office 1990–1991 | |
| Constituency | Cahir |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Matthew McGrath 1 September 1958 Newcastle, County Tipperary, Ireland |
| Party | Independent |
| Other political affiliations | Fianna Fáil (until 2011) |
| Spouse |
Margaret Sherlock (m. 1987) |
| Children | 8 |
| Alma mater | University College Cork |
| Website | mattiemcgrath |
Matthew McGrath (born 1 September 1958) is an Irish independent politician and a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Tipperary South constituency since the 2024 general election, and previously from 2007 to 2016. He was a TD for the Tipperary constituency from 2016 to 2024.[1][2]
McGrath was first elected as a Fianna Fáil TD but he left the party in 2011 before the general election, and has contested elections as an independent candidate since.
Fianna Fáil
McGrath was educated at St. Joseph's College, Cahir; Kildalton Agricultural College, County Kilkenny and University College Cork.
McGrath was a Fianna Fáil member of South Tipperary County Council from 1999 to 2007 and served as chairperson of the council from 2004 to 2005.
McGrath was first elected to the Dáil at the 2007 general election as a Fianna Fáil TD for Tipperary South.[1][2]
McGrath was found not guilty of the assault of a teenager in south Tipperary following a trial in 2008.[3][4] McGrath made a complaint to the Garda Ombudsman's office in relation to the handling of the investigation.[5]
In October 2009, McGrath criticised the proposal by Noel Dempsey to lower the legal level of alcohol in drivers, claiming that for some people a small amount of alcohol made them less nervous behind the wheel, though he said he didn't condone drunk driving.[6][7] His comments were criticised by Road Safety Authority chairman Gay Byrne and the Automobile Association.[6][7]
In June 2010, McGrath accused Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government John Gormley of the Green Party of bullying Fianna Fáil over the bill to ban stag hunting, which was passed in the Dáil on 29 June 2010. Gormley said the bill was a part of the renewed programme for government and that it was a relatively minor piece of legislation, which should not have taken up so much Dáil time. McGrath voted against the bill and lost the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party whip as a result.[8] He explained he was independent minded and would not be silenced by anybody.[9] He further qualified his support for the government in September 2010.[10]
Independent
On 25 January 2011, McGrath announced that he was leaving the Fianna Fáil party and would contest the 2011 general election as an Independent candidate.[11] He denied that he was cynically resigning from the party in an attempt to save his own Dáil seat, saying that he had run out of "final straws" with Fianna Fáil. He also said that widespread unemployment, pay cuts, negative equity, the recent price hike at health insurer VHI and the recent leadership debacle had forced his hand.[12]
At the election on 25 February, McGrath secured his seat on the fifth count, having polled 14.7 per cent of the first preference vote.[13][14] He was a member of the Rural Independents Technical group in the Dáil.
In 2015, McGrath was accused of plagiarising a speech he gave in the Dáil on ISIS from a resolution put forward by American Congressman Jeff Fortenberry. McGrath denied the claims.[15][16]
McGrath was re-elected in the newly formed Tipperary constituency in 2016, receiving 11,237 first preference votes (14.4%). He was again re-elected in 2020, with 9,321 first preference votes (11.4%).
At the 2024 general election, McGrath was re-elected to the Dáil. In January 2025 he joined the Regional Independent Group in the Dáil. Ceann Comhairle, Verona Murphy subsequently ruled that four members of the group who supported the coalition government could not avail of opposition speaking rights. McGrath was critical of the decision, describing it as "anti-democratic and totally wrong".[17]
| Elections to the Dáil | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Election | FPv | FPv% | Result | ||
| Fianna Fáil | Tipperary South | 2007 | 7,608 | 19.6 | Elected on count 6/8 | |
| Independent | Tipperary South | 2011 | 6,074 | 14.7 | Elected on count 5/5 | |
| Tipperary | 2016 | 11,237 | 14.4 | Elected on count 4/7 | ||
| Tipperary | 2020 | 9,321 | 11.4 | Elected on count 8/9 | ||
| Tipperary South | 2024 | 10,014 | 24.4 | Elected on count 2/6 | ||
Political views
McGrath is opposed to same-sex marriage, and was the only TD to speak against it in the Irish same-sex marriage referendum when it was debated in the Dáil. He said he would “probably” vote No in the referendum to allow same sex couples to marry in 2015.[18]
McGrath is an anti-abortion advocate. He supported the "No" side in the 2018 abortion referendum.[19] In November 2018 he supported amendments to the Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy Bill which would require pain relief to the foetus during termination, which were subsequently defeated.[20] McGrath has met the Pope in the Vatican on numerous occasions, including one day prior to the 2018 visit by Pope Francis to Ireland for the World Meeting of Families.[21] McGrath was highly critical of former President of Ireland Mary McAleese prior to the Pope's visit saying "obviously the lady has issues" and that people are "getting sick and tired" of the former president "hogging the airwaves."[22] McAleese had been critical of the Catholic Church in the run up to the Papal visit.
McGrath opposed a minute of silence being held in the Dáil after the murder of George Floyd, saying that it was "none of our business" and calling it "showboating nonsense".[23]