Profile: Mattie McGrath (Ind)

Mattie McGrath was elected to the Dáil for the first time nine years ago and has become a well-known politician both locally and nationally. He was part of the Fianna Fáil party until he decided to leave in January 2010, after voting against the party on a stag-hunting Bill amendment. He ran as an Independent in 2011 and was elected. The 57-year-old grew up in Newcastle, Clonmel and still lives there with his wife. They have five daughters and three sons. McGrath is a colourful character and knows how to grab attention in lively debates in Leinster House. He likes to use the phrase “getting the work done” frequently and you would struggle to find a person in Tipperary who has not come across a “Mattie van”, which he uses to advertise his brand. The former All-Ireland set-dancer has traditional conservative views on abortion and same-sex marriage