1961 Irish general election

1961 Irish general election

← 1957 4 October 1961 1965 →

144 seats in Dáil Éireann[a]
73 seats needed for a majority
Turnout70.6% Decrease 0.7pp
  First party Second party Third party
 
Seán_Lemass,_1966.jpg
James Dillon circa 1930s.jpg
Brendan Corish 1949.png
Leader Seán Lemass James Dillon Brendan Corish
Party Fianna Fáil Fine Gael Labour
Leader since 22 June 1959 21 March 1959 2 March 1960
Leader's seat Dublin South-Central Monaghan Wexford
Last election 78 seats, 48.3% 40 seats, 26.6% 12 seats, 9.1%
Seats won 70 47 16
Seat change Decrease8 Increase7 Increase4
Percentage 43.8% 32.0% 11.6%
Swing Decrease4.5% Increase5.4% Increase2.5%

  Fourth party Fifth party Sixth party
 
CnaT
NPD
Seán MacBride circa 1947.jpg
Leader Joseph Blowick Noël Browne Seán MacBride
Party Clann na Talmhan National Progressive Democrats Clann na Poblachta
Leader since 5 September 1944 23 July 1958 21 January 1946
Leader's seat Mayo South Dublin South-East Dublin South-West
(defeated)
Last election 3 seats, 2.4% New party 1 seat, 1.7%
Seats won 2 2 1
Seat change Decrease1 Increase2 Steady 0
Percentage 1.5% 1.0% 1.1%
Swing Decrease0.9% Increase1.0% Decrease0.6%

Percentage of seats gained by each of the five biggest parties, and number of seats gained by smaller parties and independents.

Taoiseach before election

Seán Lemass
Fianna Fáil

Taoiseach after election

Seán Lemass
Fianna Fáil

The 1961 Irish general election to the 17th Dáil was held on Wednesday, 4 October, following the dissolution of the 16th Dáil on 15 September by President Éamon de Valera on the request of Taoiseach Seán Lemass. The general election took place in 38 Dáil constituencies throughout Ireland for 144 seats in Dáil Éireann, the house of representatives of the Oireachtas, which had been reduced in size by three seats from the previous election by the Electoral (Amendment) Act 1961. Fianna Fáil lost its majority but remained the dominant party.

The 17th Dáil met at Leinster House on 11 October to nominate the Taoiseach for appointment by the president and to approve the appointment of a new government of Ireland. Lemass was re-appointed Taoiseach, forming the 10th government of Ireland, a single-party minority Fianna Fáil government.

  1. ^ Electoral (Chairman of Dail Eireann) Act 1937, s. 3: Re-election of outgoing Ceann Comhairle (No. 25 of 1937, s. 3). Enacted on 1 November 1937. Act of the Oireachtas. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book.
  2. ^ Electoral (Amendment) Act 1961, s. 5: Re-election of outgoing Ceann Comhairle (No. 19 of 1961, s. 5). Enacted on 14 July 1961. Act of the Oireachtas. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book.
  3. ^ "17th Dáil 1961: Clare". ElectionsIreland.org. Retrieved 14 July 2022.


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