1997 Irish general election

1997 Irish general election

← 1992 6 June 1997 2002 →

166 seats in Dáil Éireann
84 seats needed for a majority
Turnout65.9% Decrease 2.6pp
  First party Second party Third party
 
Bertie Ahern 1997 (cropped).jpg
John Bruton, December 1996 (cropped).jpg
Dick Spring 1995 (headshot).jpg
Leader Bertie Ahern John Bruton Dick Spring
Party Fianna Fáil Fine Gael Labour
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 won 77 54 17
Seat change Increase 9 Increase 9 Decrease 16
Popular vote 703,700 499,900 186,000
Percentage 39.3% 27.9% 10.4%
Swing Increase 0.2% Increase 3.4% Decrease 8.9%

  Fourth party Fifth party Sixth party
 
Mary Harney, 2004 (headshot).jpg
Proinsias De Rossa, July 1996 (cropped).png
Green
Leader Mary Harney Proinsias De Rossa None
Party Progressive Democrats Democratic Left Green
Leader since 12 October 1993 1992 n/a
Leader's seat Dublin South-West Dublin North-West n/a
Last election 10 seats, 4.7% 4 seats, 2.8% 1 seat, 1.4%
Seats won 4 4 2
Seat change Decrease 6 Steady 0 Increase 1
Popular vote 83,800 44,900 49,300
Percentage 4.7% 2.5% 2.8%
Swing Steady 0.0% Decrease 0.3% Increase 1.4%

  Seventh party Eighth party
 
Gerry Adams, 1997.jpg
Joe Higgins TD, 2014.jpg
Leader Gerry Adams Joe Higgins
Party Sinn Féin Socialist Party
Leader since 13 November 1983
Leader's seat Did not stand[a] Dublin West
Last election 0 Did not exist
Seats won 1 1
Seat change Increase 1 Increase 1
Popular vote 45,614 12,445
Percentage 2.5% 0.7%
Swing Increase 0.9% New


Taoiseach before election

John Bruton
Fine Gael

Taoiseach after election

Bertie Ahern
Fianna Fáil

The 1997 Irish general election to the 28th Dáil was held on Friday, 6 June, following the dissolution of the 27th Dáil on 15 May by President Mary Robinson, on the request of Taoiseach John Bruton. The general election took place in 41 Dáil constituencies throughout Ireland for 166 seats in Dáil Éireann, the house of representatives of the Oireachtas, under a revision in the Electoral (Amendment) Act 1995.

The two largest parties, Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil, increased both their vote totals and representation, while both the junior parties in the Dáil, the Labour Party and the Progressive Democrats, had disastrous campaigns that saw their representation in the Dáil slashed by 50% or greater. However, some of the other minor parties in the Dáil saw improvements: for the first time in 75 years a Sinn Féin TD took their seat in the Dáil after Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin was elected, while the Green party added a second TD and the Socialist Party gained their first ever national representative in Joe Higgins.

Following the election, the 28th Dáil met at Leinster House on 26 June to nominate the Taoiseach for appointment by the president and to approve the appointment of a new government of Ireland. Bertie Ahern was appointed Taoiseach, forming the 25th government of Ireland, a minority coalition government of Fianna Fáil and the Progressive Democrats.

The election has been described by Irish Independent journalist Shane Coleman as a prelude to the "golden years" of the Celtic Tiger, and thus one of the most significant general elections in Irish history.[1]


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  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference Shane Coleman was invoked but never defined (see the help page).