Irish general election, 1997

Irish general election, 1997

6 June 1997

165 of 166 seats in Dáil Éireann 84 seats were needed for a majority Turnout 76.5%   First party Second party Third party   Leader Bertie Ahern John Bruton Dick Spring Party Fianna Fáil Fine Gael Labour Party Leader since 19 December 1994 20 November 1990 November 1982 Leader's seat Dublin Central Meath Kerry North Last election 68 seats, 39.1% 45 seats, 24.5% 33 seats, 19.9% Seats before 67 47 32 Seats won 77 54 17 Seat change 10 7 15 Popular vote 703,700 499,900 186,000 Percentage 39.3% 27.9% 10.4% Swing 0.2% 3.4% 8.9%   Fourth party Fifth party Sixth party   Leader Mary Harney Proinsias De Rossa — Party Progressive Democrats Democratic Left Green Party Leader since 12 October 1993 1992 — Leader's seat Dublin South-West Dublin North-West — Last election 10 seats, 4.7% 4 seats, 2.8% 1 seat, 1.4% Seats before 9 6 1 Seats won 4 4 2 Seat change 5 2 1 Popular vote 83,800 44,900 49,300 Percentage 4.7% 2.5% 2.8% Swing 0.0% 0.3% 1.4%

Percentage of seats gained by each of the three major parties, and number of seats gained by smaller parties and independents.

Taoiseach before election John Bruton Fine Gael Subsequent Taoiseach Bertie Ahern Fianna Fáil

The Irish general election of 1997 was held on Friday 6 June 1997. The 166 newly elected members of the 28th Dáil assembled on 26 June 1997 when a new Taoiseach and government were appointed.

The general election took place in 41 parliamentary constituencies throughout Ireland for 165 seats in the lower house of parliament, Dáil Éireann.

Overview

The 1997 general election saw the public offered a choice of two possible coalitions. The existing government was a coalition of Fine Gael, the Labour Party and Democratic Left – the so-called "Rainbow Coalition". This in very broad terms could be described as a centre-left coalition. It was opposed by a possible coalition of Fianna Fáil and the Progressive Democrats, which most Irish commentators regarded as a centre-right coalition.

Following the election none of the major parties had a clear majority. Negotiations resulted in a Fianna Fáil–Progressive Democrats coalition taking office. Four Independent Teachta Dála (TDs) also supported the government ensuring an overall majority. Bertie Ahern became the Taoiseach while Mary Harney of the Progressive Democrats became Tánaiste.

Although Fine Gael gained seats, it crossed the Dáil chamber to the Opposition benches. Fianna Fáil also increased its representation, but the Progressive Democrats had a disastrous election, losing more than half their seats – including ones thought safe such as Cork North-Central and Dún Laoghaire, despite no decrease in their vote. The Green Party picked up an extra seat, with John Gormley elected in Dublin South-East. He was elected by just over 30 votes after a marathon recount, lasting four days, saw Progressive Democrat Michael McDowell defeated. The main feature of the election, however, was the collapse of the Labour Party vote. Not only did it lose seats it had picked up in the 1992 general election, when its vote was an at all-time high – such as in Clare and Laois–Offaly – but it also lost reasonably safe seats, such as in Dublin North, Dublin Central and Cork South-Central.

Dick Spring would later retire as leader of the Labour Party. Democratic Left also suffered, losing its two gains made in by-elections during the 27th Dáil. Sinn Féin won a seat for the first time since 1957, in the Cavan–Monaghan constituency with the election of Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin. It also narrowly missed a seat in Kerry North. The Socialist Party, a Trotskyist party which consisted of former members of the Labour Party expelled in 1989, gained a seat in the Dublin West constituency.

Results

Vote Share of different parties in the election.

  Fianna Fáil (39.3%)

  Fine Gael (27.9%)

  Labour Party (10.4%)

  Progressive Democrats (4.7%)

  Green Party (2.8%)

  Sinn Féin (2.5%)

  Democratic Left (2.5%)

  National Party (1.1%)

  Socialist Party (0.6%)

  Other (8.2%)

28th Irish general election – 6 June 1997^[1][2]

Party		Leader	Seats	±	% of seats	First Pref votes	% FPv	±%
	Fianna Fáil	Bertie Ahern	77	10	46.4	703,682	39.3	0.2
	Fine Gael	John Bruton	54	9	32.5	499,936	27.9	3.4
	Labour Party	Dick Spring	17	16	10.2	186,044	10.4	8.9
	Progressive Democrats	Mary Harney	4	6	2.4	83,765	4.7	±0.0
	Green Party	—	2	1	1.2	49,323	2.8	1.4
	Sinn Féin	Gerry Adams[3]	1	1	0.6	45,614	2.5	0.9
	Democratic Left	Proinsias De Rossa	4	0	2.4	44,901	2.5	0.3
	National Party	Nora Bennis	0	New	0	19,077	1.1	New
	Socialist Party	Joe Higgins	1	New	0.6	12,445	0.7	New
	Christian Solidarity	Gerard Casey	0	New	0	8,357	0.5	New
	Workers' Party	Tom French	0	0	0	7,808	0.4	0.3
	Socialist Workers	N/A	0	New	0	2,028	0.1	New
	Natural Law Party	N/A	0	New	0	1,515	0.1	New
	South Kerry Independent		0	New	0	1,388	0.1	New
	Independent	N/A	6	2	3.6	123,102	7.9	1.1
Spoilt votes						17,947	—	—
Total			166	0	100	1,806,932	100	—
Electorate/Turnout						2,741,262	76.5%	—

• Fianna Fáil and Progressive Democrats minority coalition government formed.

The outgoing Ceann Comhairle retired at this election. Independents include Independent Fianna Fáil (11,607 votes, 1 seat).

Dáil membership changes

The following changes took place as a result of the election:

• 17 outgoing TDs retired, including the Ceann Comhairle, Seán Treacy
• 149 TDs stood for re-election
  • 121 were re-elected
  • 28 failed to be re-elected
• 45 successor TDs were elected
  • 32 were elected for the first time
  • 13 had previously been TDs
• There were 6 successor female TDs, replacing 9 outgoing, decreasing the total number by 3 to 20
• There were changes in 34 of the 41 constituencies contested

Outgoing TDs are listed in the constituency they constested in the election. For some, such as Kildare North, this differs from the constituency they represented in the outgoing Dáil. Where more than one change took place in a constituency the concept of successor is an approximation for presentation only.

See also

• Government of the 28th Dáil
• Members of the 28th Dáil
• Ministers of State of the 28th Dáil

References

External links

• 1997 election: Party leaders' debate RTÉ archives dead link
• Fianna Fail Election Manifesto 1997 Irish general election

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