Age profile of Cork TDs drops 8 years

THE average age of Cork’s Dáil representation has dropped by eight years since the last general election in a reflection of the changed face of politics after last Friday’s ballot.

Of the city and county’s 19 TDs in five constituencies, the number aged under 50 years has doubled from eight elected in 2007 to 16. They include eight TDs aged 40 or under compared to five in the same age category four years ago, helping to bring the average age from 50 to 42.

Senator Michael McCarthy, elected for Labour in Cork South West, is one of two 34-year-olds who will make the journey to sit in the Dáil next week, along with re-elected Fianna Fáil TD Michael McGrath from Cork South Central.

The other Cork TDs in their 30s are Fine Gael’s mayor of County Cork Jim Daly, 37, in Cork South West, Cork East poll topper for Labour Sean Sherlock and Fine Gael Cork South Central TD Simon Coveney, both 38, and 39-year-old Jonathan O’Brien of Sinn Féin in Cork North Central.

All but two of nine of Fine Gael’s Cork representatives are under 45, including 40-year-olds Noel Harrington from Castletownbere in Cork South West and former city lord mayor Dara Murphy, in Cork North Central.

“I suppose having so many young people can only be a good thing. Maybe what we lack in wisdom, we will make up for in energy,” said Mr Harrington.

His election along with Mr McCarthy and Mr Daly brings the average age of Cork South West’s TDs down from 66 to 37, following the retirement of FG’s Jim O’Keeffe and PJ Sheehan, and outgoing FF TD Christy O’Sullivan’s failure to retain his seat.

Kathleen Lynch for Labour in Cork North Central is now the city and county’s oldest TD at 57, with 54-year-old David Stanton elected for FG in Cork East, and Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin the oldest in Cork South Central at the age of 50.

Three of FG’s new Cork TDs — Áine Collins (Cork North West), Tom Barry (Cork East) and Jerry Buttimer (Cork South Central) — are in their early 40s, while Labour Cork South Central TD Ciarán Lynch is 46. Michael Creed, who retained his FG seat in Cork North West and SF newcomer for Cork East, Sandra McLellan, are both in their late 40s.