List of Irish by-elections
Encyclopedia
This is a list of all by-elections to Dáil Éireann
, the lower house of the Irish parliament (Oireachtas
) since 1923. By-election
s in Ireland
occur to fill vacant seats which can be caused by the death, resignation or expulsion of a sitting Teachta Dála
(Member of Parliament).
There have been 125 by-elections since 1923, to fill 127 vacancies. 90 of these were caused by the death of a sitting Teachta Dála (TD). There has been one by-election during the lifetime of the 31st Dáil. There were no by-elections during the 1st,The First Dáil
and Second Dáil
were revolutionary parliaments of the self-proclaimed Irish Republic
, and as such by-elections were both unnecessary and impractical. 2nd, 3rd, 7th, 9th, 11th, 22nd, 25th and 26th Dála. The longest period without a by-election was almost 10 years between 1984 and 1994. The largest number of by-elections on one day was on 11 March 1925, when seven constituencies filled nine vacancies caused by the National Party
's split from Cumann na nGaedheal. Those seven by-elections included two which filled two vacancies, via the single transferable vote
. All the other 123 by-elections have used its single-winner analogue, the alternative vote.
There have been 22 TDs who were first elected at a by-election and never subsequently re-elected at a general election. The only person twice elected at by-elections was Thomas Hennessy
.
Dáil Éireann
Dáil Éireann is the lower house, but principal chamber, of the Oireachtas , which also includes the President of Ireland and Seanad Éireann . It is directly elected at least once in every five years under the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote...
, the lower house of the Irish parliament (Oireachtas
Oireachtas
The Oireachtas , sometimes referred to as Oireachtas Éireann, is the "national parliament" or legislature of Ireland. The Oireachtas consists of:*The President of Ireland*The two Houses of the Oireachtas :**Dáil Éireann...
) since 1923. By-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
s in Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
occur to fill vacant seats which can be caused by the death, resignation or expulsion of a sitting Teachta Dála
Teachta Dála
A Teachta Dála , usually abbreviated as TD in English, is a member of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas . It is the equivalent of terms such as "Member of Parliament" or "deputy" used in other states. The official translation of the term is "Deputy to the Dáil", though a more literal...
(Member of Parliament).
There have been 125 by-elections since 1923, to fill 127 vacancies. 90 of these were caused by the death of a sitting Teachta Dála (TD). There has been one by-election during the lifetime of the 31st Dáil. There were no by-elections during the 1st,The First Dáil
First Dáil
The First Dáil was Dáil Éireann as it convened from 1919–1921. In 1919 candidates who had been elected in the Westminster elections of 1918 refused to recognise the Parliament of the United Kingdom and instead assembled as a unicameral, revolutionary parliament called "Dáil Éireann"...
and Second Dáil
Second Dáil
The Second Dáil was Dáil Éireann as it convened from 16 August 1921 until 8 June 1922. From 1919–1922 Dáil Éireann was the revolutionary parliament of the self-proclaimed Irish Republic. The Second Dáil consisted of members elected in 1921...
were revolutionary parliaments of the self-proclaimed Irish Republic
Irish Republic
The Irish Republic was a revolutionary state that declared its independence from Great Britain in January 1919. It established a legislature , a government , a court system and a police force...
, and as such by-elections were both unnecessary and impractical. 2nd, 3rd, 7th, 9th, 11th, 22nd, 25th and 26th Dála. The longest period without a by-election was almost 10 years between 1984 and 1994. The largest number of by-elections on one day was on 11 March 1925, when seven constituencies filled nine vacancies caused by the National Party
National Party (Ireland, 1924)
The National Party was a minor political party in the Irish Free State between 1924 and 1925. It was a splinter group of nine Cumann na nGaedheal TDs led by Joseph McGrath, who had been Minister for Industry and Commerce in the CnaG government....
's split from Cumann na nGaedheal. Those seven by-elections included two which filled two vacancies, via the single transferable vote
Single transferable vote
The single transferable vote is a voting system designed to achieve proportional representation through preferential voting. Under STV, an elector's vote is initially allocated to his or her most preferred candidate, and then, after candidates have been either elected or eliminated, any surplus or...
. All the other 123 by-elections have used its single-winner analogue, the alternative vote.
There have been 22 TDs who were first elected at a by-election and never subsequently re-elected at a general election. The only person twice elected at by-elections was Thomas Hennessy
Thomas Hennessy
Thomas Hennessy was an Irish Cumann na nGaedheal party politician and medical practitioner.He was first elected to Dáil Éireann in a by-election on 11 March 1925 in the Dublin South constituency, after the resignation of the Cumann na nGaedheal Teachta Dála Daniel McCarthy.He did not contest the...
.
List
- Note: The entries for by-elections in which seats changed hands are shown in italics