1981 Irish general election

1981 Irish general election

11 June 1981

166 seats in Dáil Éireann
84 seats needed for a majority
Turnout76.2% 0.1 pp
  First party Second party Third party
 
Leader Charles Haughey Garret FitzGerald Frank Cluskey
Party Fianna Fáil Fine Gael Labour
Leader since 7 December 1979 1977 1977
Leader's seat Dublin North-Central Dublin South-East Dublin South-Central
(defeated)
Last election 84 seats, 50.6% 43 seats, 30.5% 17 seats, 11.6%
Seats won 78 65 15
Seat change 6 22 2
Popular vote 777,616 626,376 169,990
Percentage 45.3% 36.5% 9.9%
Swing 5.3 pp 6.0 pp 1.7 pp

  Fourth party Fifth party
 
SLP
Leader Tomás Mac Giolla Noël Browne
Party Sinn Féin The Workers' Party Socialist Labour
Leader since 1977 1981
Leader's seat N/A Dublin North-Central
Last election 0 seats, 1.7% New
Seats won 1 1
Seat change 1 New
Popular vote 29,561 7,107
Percentage 1.7% 0.4%
Swing 0.0 pp New


Taoiseach before election

Charles Haughey
Fianna Fáil

Taoiseach after election

Garret FitzGerald
Fine Gael

The 1981 Irish general election to the 22nd Dáil was held on Thursday, 11 June, following the dissolution of the 21st Dáil on 21 May by President Patrick Hillery on the request of Taoiseach Charles Haughey. The general election took place in 41 Dáil constituencies throughout Ireland for 166 seats in Dáil Éireann, the house of representatives of the Oireachtas. The number of seats in the Dáil was increased by 18 from 148 under the Electoral (Amendment) Act 1980.

The 22nd Dáil met at Leinster House on 30 June to nominate the Taoiseach for appointment by the president and to approve the appointment of a new government of Ireland. Garret FitzGerald was appointed Taoiseach, forming the 17th government of Ireland, a minority coalition government of Fine Gael and the Labour Party.