Ireland

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House of Representatives

Election results

Data on parliamentary elections, including the background, candidates, voter turnout, results and the formation of the new legislature. By default the latest election results are displayed. Select a date to view results from previous elections

Background

Election date(s) The date when elections started and ended for directly or indirectly elected parliaments/chambers. The date of appointments for appointed parliaments/chambers.
26.02.2016
Date of dissolution of the outgoing legislature Date at which the previous legislature (elected at the previous elections) was dissolved.
03.02.2016
Timing of election Timing of election: Upon normal expiry; Early elections; Delayed elections
Upon normal expiry
Expected date of next elections The expected date at which the next elections should take place, based on law or practice.
28.02.2025
Number of seats at stake Number of seats contested at the elections. Where the parliament/chamber is fully renewed, this number is usually identical to the statutory number of members. Where the parliament/chamber is partially renewed or appointed, the number of seats at stake is usually less than the total number of members.
158
Scope of elections Scope of elections: Full renewal; Partial renewal.
Full renewal

Candidates

Total number of candidates Total number of people who registered as candidates for election. Does not include people who stood as candidates to become "substitute members".
552
Number of male candidates Number of male candidates
389
Number of female candidates Number of female candidates
163
Percentage of women candidates The percentage is calculated by dividing the number of women candidates by the total number of candidates.
29.53%
Number of parties contesting the election This field may include either the number of parties contesting the election, or the number of coalitions/electoral alliance.
23

Voter turnout

Registration Number of people registered to vote
3,305,110
Votes Number of people who actually voted
2,151,293
Voter turnout The percentage is calculated by dividing the number of people who actually voted by the number of people registered to vote
65.09%

Results

About the election Short description of the context and results of the election.
The 2016 elections resulted in a hung parliament. The parties in Prime Minister Enda Kenny’s outgoing coalition, Fine Gael and the Labour Party, saw their share of seats sharply reduced to 57 of the 158-member House of Representatives. The opposition Fianna Faíl, led by Mr. Micheál Martin, more than doubled its seats to 44, becoming the second largest force.

By 14 April 2016, the House of Representatives had failed to elect a new Prime Minister three times. On 3 May, Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil singed a Confidence and Supply Arrangement, paving the way for a Fine Gael-led minority government to be formed. On 6 May, the House of Representatives re-elected Mr. Kenny as Prime Minister. He thereby became the first Fine Gael leader to be elected for two consecutive terms. He was then sworn in by President Michael Higgins.

The election campaign focused on economic issues. Ireland has had the fastest growing economy in the eurozone since 2014. In 2013, it became the first country in the eurozone to exit an international bailout programme following the 2008 economic crisis. The ruling coalition called on voters' support to continue the economic recovery. Opposition parties criticized the government, arguing that the economic recovery was yet to be felt by many citizens.

The statutory number of members in the House was reduced from 166 to 158, based on the Constituency Committee Report 2012. The number of women increased from 25 out of 166 (15.06%) in 2011 to 35 out of 158 (22.15%) in 2016. That is a record high in Ireland and followed the adoption of a gender quota for general elections in 2012. The quota stipulates that political parties must ensure that at least 30% of their candidates are women and 30% are men. This ratio will increase to 40% from 2023. Failure to respect the quota would see parties' State funding cut by half.
Number of parties winning seats The number of parties which won parliamentary representation in the given election.
8
Percentage of parties winning seats The percentage is calculated by dividing the number of parties which won parliamentary representation by the number of parties contesting the election.
34.78%
Percentage of seats won by largest party or coalition The percentage is calculated by dividing the number of seats won by the largest party by the number of seats at stake in the election.
31.65%
Alternation of power after elections The results of the elections caused a change in the government. "Not applicable" to countries using the presidential system when parliamentary and presidential elections are held separately, to countries in political transition or where there is no party system.
No
Number of parties in government The government may be formed by one or more political parties
1
Names of parties in government The government may be formed by one or more political parties
Fine Gael
Parties or coalitions winning seats
Political groups winning seats breakdown
Political group Total
Fine Gael 50
Fianna Fáil 44
Sinn Féin 23
Labour Party 7
Anti-Austerity Alliance - People Before Profit (AAA-PBP) 6
Independents 4 Change (I.4.C) 4
Social Democratic Party 3
Green Party 2
Independents 19
Members elected, by sex
Number of men elected
123
Number of women elected
35
Percentage of women elected The percentage is calculated by dividing the number of women elected in the election and the number of seats at stake at the election.
22.15%
Other notes
Number of candidates: 552, Including the outgoing Speaker, Mr. Seán Barrett, who was re-elected unopposed.

The distribution of seats indicated above includes outgoing Speaker Mr. Seán Barrett (Fine Gael) who was re-elected unopposed.
Sources
House of Representatives (08.03.2016, 04.05.2016)
32nd Dáil General Election – February 2016 - Results
Department of Environment, Community and Local Government (28.04.2016)
The Irish times
ITV News
Women Directly Elected
35

New legislature

Total number of men after the election The total number of male parliamentarians in this parliament/chamber following the election or renewal, regardless of their modes of designation.
123
Total number of women after the election The total number of female parliamentarians in this parliament/chamber following the election or renewal, regardless of their modes of designation.
35
First-term parliamentarians The number of members who are assuming their parliamentary mandate for the first time following the election or renewal, regardless of their mode of designation.
52
Date of the first session The date when the newly elected parliament/chamber was convened for the first time. It may be different from the date when members were sworn in.
10.03.2016
First Speaker of the new legislature
First Speaker of the new legislature First name of the Speaker of the new legislature following the election or renewal.
Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Male)
Political party
Fianna Fáil
Date of election
10.03.2016