Career
He was elected to the 24th Seanad in April 2011 on the Administrative Panel. He stood as an independent for the Roscommon–South Leitrim constituency at the 2007 general election but was not elected. He was re-elected as an independent to Roscommon County Council in 2009, this time for the Castlerea electoral area.
He joined the Labour Party in February 2010 and was the party candidate for Roscommon–South Leitrim at the 2011 general election but was not elected.
He is the Labour Party Seanad spokesperson on Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht Affairs, Training and Skills.