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1987 Irish general election

Election to the 25th Dáil


Election to the 25th Dáil

FieldValue
election_name1987 Irish general election
countryIreland
typeparliamentary
ongoingno
previous_electionNovember 1982 Irish general election
previous_yearNov 1982
previous_mps24th Dáil
next_election1989 Irish general election
next_year1989
seats_for_election166 seats in Dáil Éireann
majority_seats84
election_date17 February 1987
elected_mps25th Dáil
image1
leader1Charles Haughey
leader_since1[7 December 1979](1979-fianna-fail-leadership-election)
party1Fianna Fáil
leaders_seat1Dublin North-Central
last_election175 seats, 45.2%
seats1**81**
seat_change16
popular_vote1**784,547**
percentage1**44.2%**
swing11.0 pp
image2
leader2Garret FitzGerald
leader_since25 July 1977
party2Fine Gael
leaders_seat2Dublin South-East
last_election270 seats, 39.2%
seats251
seat_change219
popular_vote2481,127
percentage227.1%
swing212.1 pp
image3
leader3Desmond O'Malley
leader_since321 December 1985
party3Progressive Democrats
leaders_seat3Limerick East
last_election3*New party*
seats314
seat_change314
popular_vote3210,583
percentage311.9%
swing3*New party*
image4
leader4Dick Spring
leader_since41 November 1982
party4Labour Party (Ireland)
leaders_seat4Kerry North
last_election416 seats, 9.4%
seats412
seat_change44
popular_vote4114,551
percentage46.5%
swing42.9 pp
image5
leader5Tomás Mac Giolla
leader_since514 October 1977
party5Workers' Party (Ireland)
leaders_seat5Dublin West
last_election52 seats, 3.3%
seats54
seat_change52
popular_vote567,293
percentage53.8%
swing50.5 pp
image6**DSP**
leader6Jim Kemmy
leader_since623 September 1982
party6Democratic Socialist Party (Ireland)
leaders_seat6Limerick East
last_election60 seats, 0.4%
seats61
seat_change61
popular_vote67,424
percentage60.4%
swing6
map_image{{switcher
titleTaoiseach
posttitleTaoiseach after election
before_electionGarret FitzGerald
before_partyFine Gael
after_electionCharles Haughey
after_partyFianna Fáil
turnout73.3% 0.4 pp

| [[File:1987 Irish general election.svg|400px]] | Election results and first-preference votes in each constituency. | [[File:1987 Irish general election, seats per constituency.svg|400px]] | Number of seats gained by each party in each constituency.}}

The 1987 Irish general election to the 25th Dáil was held on Tuesday, 17 February, four weeks after the dissolution of the 24th Dáil on 20 January by President Patrick Hillery, on the request of Taoiseach Garret FitzGerald. A continuing crisis over public finance and a rejection of the budget had led to the Labour Party withdrawing from the Fine Gael–led coalition government. The general election took place in 41 Dáil constituencies throughout Ireland for 166 seats in Dáil Éireann, the house of representatives of the Oireachtas. There were minor amendments to constituency boundaries under the Electoral (Amendment) Act 1983.

The 25th Dáil met at Leinster House on 10 March to nominate the Taoiseach for appointment by the president and to approve the appointment of a new government of Ireland. Charles Haughey was appointed Taoiseach, forming the 20th government of Ireland, a minority single-party Fianna Fáil government.

Campaign

The 1987 general election was precipitated by the withdrawal of the Labour Party from the Fine Gael–led government on 20 January 1987. The reason was a disagreement over budget proposals. Rather than attempt to press on with the government's agenda, the Taoiseach and leader of Fine Gael, Garret FitzGerald, sought a dissolution of the Dáil. An unusually long period of four weeks was set for the campaign.

Fianna Fáil's campaign involved a refusal to make any definite commitments; however, it attempted to convince the electorate that the country would be better under Fianna Fáil. Charles Haughey's attitudes toward Northern Ireland and the Anglo-Irish Agreement were both attacked. However, the campaign was mostly fought on economic issues.

The Labour Party decided against any pre-election pact, particularly with Fine Gael. The Progressive Democrats (PD), founded only two years earlier, surpassed Labour as the third-biggest political party in the Dáil. Although the majority of the PD party consisted of Fianna Fáil defectors, it mainly took seats from Fine Gael.

Results

|seats_% = 48.8 |fpv_% = 44.1 |seats_% = 30.1 |fpv_% = 27.1 |seats_% = 8.4 |fpv_% = 11.8 |seats_% = 7.2 |fpv_% = 6.4 |seats_% = 2.4 |fpv_% = 3.8 |seats_% = 0 |fpv_% = 1.9 |seats_% = 0.6 |fpv_% = 0.4 |seats_% = 0 |fpv_% = 0.4 |seats_% = 0 |fpv_% = 0.0 |seats_% = 1.8 |fpv_% = 4.0 |} ;Notes:

  • Independents include Independent Fianna Fáil (7,720 votes, 1 seat) and the Tax Reform League (3,832 votes).
  • Changes in numbers of seats for each party are shown relative to the previous election in November 1982.

Although opinion polls had suggested otherwise, Fianna Fáil once again failed to win an overall majority. The Progressive Democrats did exceptionally well in their first general election, becoming the third-biggest party in the Dáil. Fine Gael lost many seats, mostly to the PDs. The Labour Party fell to its lowest share of the vote since 1933, but managed to salvage 12 seats, more than expected, including that of its leader Dick Spring, who saved his seat by just four votes.

Voting summary

Seats summary

Government formation

Fianna Fáil formed the 20th government of Ireland, a minority government, with Charles Haughey returning as Taoiseach. Haughey was nominated as Taoiseach with the votes of his own party, the support of Independent Fianna Fáil TD Neil Blaney and the abstention of Independent TD Tony Gregory. That left him with just half of votes cast. Ceann Comhairle Seán Treacy exercised his casting vote in favour of the nomination of Haughey. The Fianna Fáil government of 1987 to 1989 was the last time to date that a government composed only of members of one party has been formed in Ireland.

Dáil membership changes

The following changes took place at the election:

  • 17 outgoing TDs retired
  • 1 vacant seat at election time
  • 147 outgoing TDs stood for re-election (also Tom Fitzpatrick, the outgoing Ceann Comhairle, who was automatically returned)
    • 127 of those were re-elected
    • 20 failed to be re-elected
  • 38 successor TDs were elected
    • 32 were elected for the first time
    • 6 had previously been TDs
  • There were 6 successor female TDs, with the total remaining unchanged at 14
  • There were changes in 32 of the 41 constituencies contested Where more than one change took place in a constituency, the concept of successor is an approximation for presentation only.
ConstituencyDeparting TDPartyChangeCommentSuccessor TDPartyFine Gael}}"Progressive Democrats}}"Fine Gael}}"Fine Gael}}"Fianna Fáil}}"Fianna Fáil}}"Fine Gael}}"Workers' Party (Ireland)}}"Labour Party (Ireland)}}"Progressive Democrats}}"Fianna Fáil}}"Fianna Fáil}}"Fine Gael}}"Fianna Fáil}}"Labour Party (Ireland)}}"Labour Party (Ireland)}}"Fianna Fáil}}"Fianna Fáil}}"Fianna Fáil}}"Fianna Fáil}}"Independent politician (Ireland)}}"Fianna Fáil}}"Fine Gael}}"Fianna Fáil}}"Fine Gael}}"Workers' Party (Ireland)}}"Fine Gael}}"Progressive Democrats}}"Fianna Fáil}}"Fianna Fáil}}"Fianna Fáil}}"Fianna Fáil}}"Fine Gael}}"Progressive Democrats}}"Fine Gael}}"Fianna Fáil}}"Fine Gael}}"Progressive Democrats}}"Fianna Fáil}}"Fianna Fáil}}"Fine Gael}}"Progressive Democrats}}"Fine Gael}}"Labour Party (Ireland)}}"Fianna Fáil}}"Fine Gael}}"Labour Party (Ireland)}}"Fianna Fáil}}"Labour Party (Ireland)}}"Labour Party (Ireland)}}"Fine Gael}}"Fine Gael}}"Fine Gael}}"Progressive Democrats}}"Labour Party (Ireland)}}"Democratic Socialist Party (Ireland)}}"Fine Gael}}"Progressive Democrats}}"Fine Gael}}"Fianna Fáil}}"Fianna Fáil}}"Fianna Fáil}}"Fine Gael}}"Fine Gael}}"Fianna Fáil}}"Fianna Fáil}}"Fine Gael}}"Fianna Fáil}}"Fine Gael}}"Fine Gael}}"Fine Gael}}"Progressive Democrats}}"Fianna Fáil}}"Fianna Fáil}}"Fine Gael}}"Labour Party (Ireland)}}"Fine Gael}}"Fianna Fáil}}"Fianna Fáil}}"Fianna Fáil}}"
Carlow–KilkennyDick DowlingFine GaelRetiredMartin GibbonsProgressive Democrats
Cavan–MonaghanJohn ConlanFine GaelLost seatAndrew BoylanFine Gael
ClareSylvester BarrettFianna FáilRetiredDe Valera – former TDSíle de ValeraFianna Fáil
Cork EastMyra BarryFine GaelRetiredSherlock – former TDJoe SherlockWorkers' Party
Cork North-CentralToddy O'SullivanLabour PartyMovedO'Sullivan moved to Cork South-CentralMáirín QuillProgressive Democrats
Cork North-WestNo membership changes
Cork South-CentralGene FitzgeraldFianna FáilRetiredJohn DennehyFianna Fáil
Hugh CoveneyFine GaelLost seatBatt O'KeeffeFianna Fáil
Eileen DesmondLabour PartyRetiredO'Sullivan moved from Cork North-CentralToddy O'SullivanLabour Party
Cork South-WestNo membership changes
Donegal North-EastNo membership changes
Donegal South-WestCathal CoughlanFianna FáilVacantMary CoughlanFianna Fáil
Dublin CentralTom LeonardFianna FáilRetiredDermot FitzpatrickFianna Fáil
Alice GlennIndependentLost seatGlenn was elected as an FG TD in 1982John StaffordFianna Fáil
Dublin NorthNora OwenFine GaelLost seatG. V. WrightFianna Fáil
Dublin North-CentralNo membership changes
Dublin North-EastMaurice ManningFine GaelLost seatPat McCartanWorkers' Party
Dublin North-WestNo membership changes
Dublin SouthNuala FennellFine GaelLost seatAnne ColleyProgressive Democrats
Niall AndrewsFianna FáilRetiredTom KittFianna Fáil
Dublin South-CentralJohn O'ConnellFianna FáilLost seatMary MooneyFianna Fáil
Dublin South-EastJoe DoyleFine GaelLost seatMichael McDowellProgressive Democrats
Dublin South-WestMichael O'LearyFine GaelRetiredChris FloodFianna Fáil
Dublin WestLiam SkellyFine GaelLost seatPatrick O'MalleyProgressive Democrats
Eileen LemassFianna FáilRetiredLawlor – former TDLiam LawlorFianna Fáil
Dún LaoghaireLiam T. CosgraveFine GaelLost seatGeraldine KennedyProgressive Democrats
Galway EastNo membership changes
Galway WestFintan Coogan JnrFine GaelLost seatHiggins – former TDMichael D. HigginsLabour Party
Kerry NorthTom McEllistrimFianna FáilLost seatJimmy DeenihanFine Gael
Kerry SouthMichael MoynihanLabour PartyLost seatJohn O'DonoghueFianna Fáil
KildareJoseph BerminghamLabour PartyRetiredEmmet StaggLabour Party
Laois–OffalyOliver J. FlanaganFine GaelRetiredSon of outgoing TDCharles FlanaganFine Gael
Limerick EastTom O'DonnellFine GaelLost seatClohessy – former TDPeadar ClohessyProgressive Democrats
Frank PrendergastLabour PartyLost seatKemmy – former TDJim KemmyDemocratic Socialist Party
Limerick WestWilliam O'BrienFine GaelRetiredJohn McCoyProgressive Democrats
Longford–WestmeathGerry L'EstrangeFine GaelRetiredHenry AbbottFianna Fáil
LouthPádraig FaulknerFianna FáilRetiredDermot AhernFianna Fáil
Mayo EastNo membership changes
Mayo WestPaddy O'TooleFine GaelLost seatJim HigginsFine Gael
MeathJim FitzsimonsFianna FáilRetiredNoel DempseyFianna Fáil
RoscommonNo membership changes
Sligo–LeitrimJoe McCartinFine GaelLost seatJohn EllisFianna Fáil
Tipperary NorthDavid MolonyFine GaelRetiredMichael LowryFine Gael
Tipperary SouthNo membership changes
WaterfordEdward CollinsFine GaelLost seatMartin CullenProgressive Democrats
Donal OrmondeFianna FáilLost seatBrian SwiftFianna Fáil
WexfordMichael D'ArcyFine GaelLost seatBrendan HowlinLabour Party
WicklowGodfrey TimminsFine GaelLost seatJoe JacobFianna Fáil
Paudge BrennanFianna FáilRetiredDick RocheFianna Fáil

Seanad election

The Dáil election was followed by an election to the 18th Seanad.

Notes

References

References

  1. {{cite Irish legislation. (1980). (23 December 1980)
  2. "25th Dáil 1987: Cavan–Monaghan".
  3. (July 1987). "Election results and transfer of votes in general election (February, 1987) for twenty-fifth Dáil and bye-elections to twenty-fourth Dáil (1982–1987)". Dublin Stationery Office.
  4. "25th Dáil 1987 General Election".
  5. "Dáil elections since 1918".
  6. (2010). "Elections in Europe: A Data Handbook". Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft Mbh & Company.
  7. "Irish General Elections".
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