Irish general election, 1981

Irish general election, 1981

1977 ← 11 June 1981 → Feb 1982

outgoing members ← → TDs elected

165 of 166 seats in Dáil Éireann 83 seats were needed for a majority Turnout 76.2%   First party Second party Third party   Leader Charles Haughey Garret FitzGerald Frank Cluskey Party Fianna Fáil Fine Gael Labour Party Leader since 7 December 1979 1977 1977 Leader's seat Dublin North-Central Dublin South-East Dublin South-Central (defeated) Last election 84 seats, 50.6% 43 seats, 30.5% 17 seats, 11.6% Seats before 83 45 15 Seats won 78 65 15 Seat change 5 20 0 Percentage 45.3% 36.5% 9.9% Swing 5.3% 6.0% 1.7%   Fourth party Fifth party Sixth party   Leader Anti H-Block Committee Tomás Mac Giolla Noël Browne Party Anti H-Block Sinn Féin (Workers' Party) Socialist Labour Party Leader since N/A 1977 1981 Leader's seat N/A N/A Dublin North-Central Last election New 0 seats, 1.7% New Seats before 0 0 0 Seats won 2 1 1 Seat change New +1 New Percentage 2.5% 1.7% 0.4% Swing New — New

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

Taoiseach before election Charles Haughey Fianna Fáil Subsequent Taoiseach Garret FitzGerald Fine Gael

Charles Haughey
Fianna Fáil

Garret FitzGerald
Fine Gael

The Irish general election of 1981 was held on 11 June 1981, three weeks after the dissolution of the Dáil on 21 May. The newly elected 166 members of the 22nd Dáil assembled at Leinster House on 30 June when a new Taoiseach and government were appointed.

The general election took place in 41 parliamentary constituencies throughout Ireland for 166 seats in the lower house of parliament, Dáil Éireann. The number of seats in the Dáil was increased by 18 from 148 to 166.

The general election of 1981 was the first one of five during the 1980s. The election also saw three new leaders of the three main parties fight their first general election. Charles Haughey had become Taoiseach and leader of Fianna Fáil at the end of 1979, Garret FitzGerald was the new leader of Fine Gael and Frank Cluskey was in charge of the Labour Party.

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