Senator Ray Butler

Ray Butler is a Senator in the 25th Seanad having been nominated by An Taoiseach Enda Kenny T.D. in May 2016. He is a former T.D. for Meath West having been elected in February 2011. Ray has a proven track record of standing up for local people and achieving success. Ray is a strong advocate for the self-employed and frequently calls for their equal social protection entitlements. He consistently takes the issues that matter to local people right to the very top, lobbying the Taoiseach, Minister for Finance and other senior Ministers on a range of issues. Sustaining economic growth in Meath, by supporting businesses to expand, and helping people back into work are all personal priorities for Ray.

Ray supports many local community groups and charities, and he has also personally campaigned to establish a Memorial to the Dead of the Great War from Meath, in recognition of their ultimate sacrifice. He is a long-standing and committed supporter of Special Olympics Ireland, Muscular Dystrophy Ireland and Down Syndrome Ireland – to name but a few. These are just a few of the groups and organisations that do remarkable work throughout Meath and the rest of the country, and Ray makes regular visits to charities and community groups so he can see their good work in action, and so he can learn how to support them in any way he can.

He also continues to campaign for vital safety improvements on local roads, an increased availability of social housing and for better broadband in the constituency.

In the Dáil, Ray has raised important local and national issues, and he serves on the Joint Committee on Education and Social Protection to make sure that Government legislation receives proper scrutiny in these areas, with particular emphasis on securing social welfare entitlements for the self-employed. Outside the chamber, he continues to be very involved in organising local cultural events, festivals and fundraisers – a role he attaches great importance to.

Ray has a background in business, and before he was elected a T.D., he was self-employed for over twenty years.  

Originally from Kells, Ray lives in Trim with his wife Marie and four children.