Irish general election, 1957

Irish general election, 1957

← 1954 5 March 1957 1961 →
← outgoing members TDs elected →
146 of 147 seats in Dáil Éireann 74 seats were needed for a majority
Turnout	71.3%
First party Second party Third party   Leader Éamon de Valera Richard Mulcahy William Norton Party Fianna Fáil Fine Gael Labour Party Leader since 26 March 1926 1944 1932 Leader's seat Clare Tipperary Kildare Last election 65 seats, 43.4% 50 seats, 32.0% 19 seats, 12.1% Seats before 68 48 17 Seats won 78 40 12 Seat change 10 8 5 Percentage 48.3% 26.6% 9.1% Swing 4.9% 5.4% 3.0%   Fourth party Fifth party Sixth party   Leader Paddy McLogan Joseph Blowick Seán MacBride Party Sinn Féin Clann na Talmhan Clann na Poblachta Leader since 1950 1944 1946 Leader's seat N/A Mayo South Dublin South-West (defeated) Last election N/A 5 seats, 3.8% 3 seats, 3.1% Seats before N/A 5 3 Seats won 4 3 1 Seat change 4 2 2 Percentage 5.4% 2.4% 1.7% Swing 5.4% 1.4% 1.4%
Percentage of seats gained by each of the five biggest parties, and number of seats gained by smaller parties and independents.
Taoiseach before election John A. Costello Fine Gael Subsequent Taoiseach Éamon de Valera Fianna Fáil

John A. Costello
Fine Gael

Éamon de Valera
Fianna Fáil

The Irish general election of 1957 was held on 5 March 1957, just over three weeks after the dissolution of the Dáil on 4 February. The newly elected members of the 16th Dáil assembled at Leinster House on 20 March when the new Taoiseach and government were appointed.

The general election took place in 40 parliamentary constituencies throughout Ireland for 147 seats in the lower house of parliament, Dáil Éireann.

The general election of 1957 was precipitated by the crisis in the trade balance and the government's reaction to it. As a result of this Fianna Fáil tabled a motion of no confidence in the inter-party government of Fine Gael, Labour and Clann na Talmhan. Rather than face defeat in the vote the Taoiseach John A. Costello, decided to dissolve the Dáil and let the people decide. The campaign was fought largely over economic issues and the situation in the North. In the north the IRA launched Operation Harvest which drew much popular support in the south. Sinn Féin had been re-built and re-organized as a party by Paddy McLogan and was fielding abstentionist candidates.