Michael McCarthy (politician)


Michael McCarthy is a former Irish Labour Party politician who served as a Teachta Dála for the Cork South-West constituency from 2011 to 2016. He was a Senator for the Labour Panel from 2002 to 2011. He was the Labour Party spokesperson on Marine, and acted as spokesperson in the Seanad on Agriculture, Community and Rural Affairs, and Communications, Marine and Natural Resources.

Early life

McCarthy is the son of Phyllis and Michael McCarthy and lived in Dunmanway. At the time of the 1999 local elections, he was employed at Sehering Plough.

Political career

County Councillor

He was elected to Cork County Council in 1999 for the Skibbereen LEA. He was the youngest Labour candidate in the State. He was the only Labour candidate elected to the Labour Panel in the 2002 Seanad Election, at the age of 25.

General elections and Senator (2002–2011)

McCarthy stood unsuccessfully as a Labour Party candidate for the Cork South-West constituency at the 2002 and 2007 general elections. He was a Senator for the Labour Panel from 2002 to 2011.

TD (2011–2016)

He was elected to the Dáil at the 2011 general election. In 2012, he chaired a joint committee on the Environment, Cculture and Gaeltacht. In 2013, despite Labour's membership of the coalition, he opposed the Government's campaign to abolish the Seanad. He lost his seat at the 2016 general election.