Since his first election in 2007, Independent Mattie McGrath (61) has become a well-known politician, mostly due to his outspoken nature.
In the last Dáil, he served on a number of committees, including the Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs and the Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government.
The former All-Ireland set-dancer has traditional conservative views on abortion and same-sex marriage, which resulted in some explosive altercations in the lead-up to the referendum on the Eighth Amendment.
McGrath was a member of Fianna Fáil until he left the party in January 2010, after voting against its members on a stag-hunting Bill amendment. He ran as an Independent in 2011 and was elected.
The father of five grew up in Newcastle, Clonmel and still lives there with his wife.
McGrath is a colourful character and often attracts attention during lively debates in Leinster House. His catchphrase “getting the work done” has become almost synonymous with his brand.
