Mattie was born in September, 1958 and has lived in Newcastle, Clonmel, ever since.  He  is married with eight children and takes all aspects of parenthood and family life, for himself and others, very seriously. As a result he is particularly aware of issues of education, health and safety.

He attended, St. Joseph’s College, Cahir between 1971 and 1976 and, later, took a certificate programme in horticulture at Kildalton Agricultural College, Co. Kilkenny (1986) and holds a certificate in communication skills from University College Cork (1992). From 1977 to 1982 he was a Sales Representative servicing the agricultural industry in the local area. Since 1983 he developed his own local plant hire business, Suirside Plant Hire, Newcastle, Clonmel, that employs eight full-time staff and provides essential services to businesses and residences with a focus on customer satisfaction.

People sometimes claim that politics involves a certain amount of fancy dancing, and if that is true, as a former (1974) All Ireland set dancer, Mattie is exceptionally well qualified.

South Tipperary County Council
Mattie was a member of South Tipperary County Council from 1999- 2007. He topped the poll in the Cahir Electoral area in the local elections in 2004, polling a massive first preference total of 1,902 votes almost 30% of the valid poll. This was an actual doubling of his vote over the 1999 local elections and is indicative of the tremendous work being done by the candidate within his local Electoral Area. Mattie served as chairperson of South Tipperary Co. Council in 2004/2005 - indeed he was one of the most active county council chairpersons ever in the area.

Dail Eireann
Mattie contested the 2007 General Election, for the Constituency of Tipperary South and West Waterford. He was elected to Dail Eireann, for the first time.

For Mattie, "getting things done" is a lot more than a slogan, it is his way of life.

Oireachtas Committees:
Since his election to Dail Eireann, Mattie has become a member of a number of Joint Oireachtas Committees including the Oireachtas Committee on Social and Family Affairs, Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Energy and Natural Resources.

Community
Mattie is a director of Muintir na Tire, the national organisation promoting community development in Ireland, which was established in 1937 by John M Canon Hayes. Through its core principles of neighbourliness, self-help and self-reliance, Muintir na Tire has promoted and supported the concept of active community participation and championed the idea of community development in both Ireland and Europe. Mattie is also very involved in the Community Alert Programme which is organised by Muintir na Tire in association with An Garda Siochana. He is involved in the Programme of Community Supports for Older People funded by the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs.

Rural Isolation and transport
To find yourself living in a rural area without a car, even temporarily, is a limiting, isolating, and sometimes, almost impossible, situation. Mattie has considerable concern for all issues connected to rural isolation. Towards solving many rural transport problems, Mattie is a director of Ring a Link a non-profit making charitable organisation offering affordable and convenient door to door transport for the people of Carlow, Kilkenny and South Tipperary, with services that are being expanded all the time, as well as organising car pooling for companies to help save money and the environment.

Housing
Mattie has a longstanding interest and involvement in social housing issues and homelessness. He is a director of The Irish Council for Social Housing (ICSH www.icsh.ie) which was formed in 1982 by housing and hostel organisations in Ireland to act as a national representative, promotional, information and advisory federation.

The ICSH now represents over 200 affiliated housing associations and other voluntary organisations involved in housing or hostel services, providing accommodation of over 15,500 homes to:

•          elderly persons
•          homeless and vulnerable persons
•          people with disabilities and
•          individuals and families on low incomes.

Projects in South Tipperary include: